


Indigeo

by jeejaschocolate



Series: Unus et Solus [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Best Dad Regis, Birth Control, Blow Jobs, Cock Worship, Developing Relationship, Discussion of mpreg, Establishing boundaries, Explicit Sexual Content, Family Dynamics, Hurt/Comfort, Jealousy, Love, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Nipple Play, Omega Verse, Omega!Ardyn, Pack Dynamics, Pining, Porn With Plot, Praise, Prejudice against omegas, Sex Toys, Soul Bond, Soulmates, alpha!Noctis, rut cycles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-27
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-12-07 13:31:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 21,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11624553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeejaschocolate/pseuds/jeejaschocolate
Summary: (Sequel to “Excieo”)Navigating a new life in the Citadel is the last thing Ardyn expected he would have to learn. But here he is.Then of course, Noctis goes into rut.





	1. Family

**Author's Note:**

> Back by popular demand! Took me a while, but I'm expanding the universe to "Excieo," the other omegaverse soulmate AU because a lot of people wanted a sequel and I thought...yeah I can totally make that happen. So this one picks up right where the other one left off.
> 
> After all, Ardynoct needs to be more of a thing. And omega!Ardyn DEFINITELY needs to be more of a thing. So here you have it! (*coughs loudly* Mind the tags!!)
> 
> Note*: indigeo = Latin verb (2nd conjugation) meaning: 1) need 2) lack 3) require

**Chapter One: Family**

It took just over a week for Ardyn’s heat to pass. He and Noctis barricaded themselves in Noctis’s room—their makeshift nest that served well enough for what they needed. Because, basically, all they needed was a comfortable bed for Noctis to continuously mate his **one.** Over and over. Endlessly. 

Tremors of needy hunger overtook Ardyn again and again, so Noctis would have to give him his knot in short, sustained bursts. Once the alpha came, Noctis would keep himself lodged deep inside Ardyn while his omega rode out orgasm after orgasm on his knot.

They stayed like that for days. Fucking, rutting, soothing Ardyn’s heat. As the alpha, it was Noctis’s responsibility to remind them to wash every so often. Luckily there was a bathroom attached to Noctis’s room. They could stumble into the shower together when they needed to. If Noctis knotted Ardyn there—and he did, often—that was fine. They could linger under the spray, letting the warm water relax their fucked-sore muscles while they withstood the aftershocks of orgasm in each other’s arms.

Their smells were intertwined now. Everywhere. Noctis and Ardyn could smell each other intimately in all the crevices and secret places on each other’s bodies. As bonded mates, they would bear the scent of their **one** for the rest of their lives.

But it was difficult to think about the rest of their lives while they were spending Ardyn’s heat together. Thoughts were slow. Some days they barely even spoke. It was just murmurs, grunts, moans, purrs, and croons. That was all they needed to understand each other. Noctis learned how to satisfy Ardyn down to science, and Ardyn learned exactly how much he could demand from Noctis. Which was to say, he could demand anything and Noctis would give it to him. The prince reached his sexual limit after about a full day of fucking. But even if he was tired, Noctis would let Ardyn climb on top of him and stick his knot deep inside of himself, wherever and however the older man needed.

They fell asleep attached. Only to wake up hours later already semi-consciously fucking each other. 

Noctis would have been intimidated about how insatiable his new mate seemed to be—if he didn't find the whole thing so incredibly, unbelievably hot. Ardyn could not get enough of him and Noctis _loved_ that. 

Of course, Ardyn told him his whole story early on. Their first morning together, the prince heard all about the Starscourge and the Accursed. He heard a long tale of two thousand years ago and the Astral Realm. And he believed all of it, obviously, because he could smell the truth on Ardyn’s skin. Mated pairs could not lie to each other without the other realizing. So, every word of Ardyn’s story was true. 

He asked Ardyn to show him his daemonic face. The older man complied of his own free will. That face—a skeletal, oozing mess of horrors—hurt Noctis just as much as it hurt Ardyn. Because of their bond, Noctis felt the darkness as clearly as his lover did. He withstood shivers as Ardyn described being tortured by humans and daemons alike. Noctis could feel each lash of pain and soul crushing darkness like he had experienced it all firsthand, but the feelings only lasted a moment (obviously not the two-thousand years Ardyn had endured). 

Noctis mourned everything his lover had been through. Just like he regretted helplessly and pointlessly the fact that he had not been there with Ardyn when the older man went through all that. He hated knowing Ardyn suffered alone for so, so long.

But no more. Noctis would not let Ardyn spend another second of his life in loneliness and pain. His pride as an alpha demanded it, as did his own nature. Noctis hated the idea of anyone living so long because they had no other choice— _especially_ his **one**.

Ultimately, Noctis was not afraid of the daemonic face. Nor of the daemons themselves. He could sometimes hear guttural whispering rattling around Ardyn’s mind, whenever he deigned to listen in on the other man’s thoughts. He might have been afraid of those whispers—definitely not human, as ancient and evil as darkness itself—if he was not so overwhelmingly angered by them. How dare those daemons torment his omega? Make themselves comfortable and take root inside his **one** for millennia? How _dare_ they?

Noctis wanted to reach inside Ardyn and rip those daemons out with his bare hands. To rid his lover of the maddening voices and desires once and for all. 

…But, it was clear from the beginning, that would not be possible. Healing Ardyn of his affliction meant curing the world of the Starscourge. That…would take some time. Noctis did not entirely know how he would go about doing that (because of course he was not going to kill Ardyn, they would have to find some other way), but he was willing to dedicate himself to finding a cure. 

Luna probably knew something. He thought of her instantly and kept her image locked away in his mind, latching on to the idea that his former betrothed would be able to help them.

While Ardyn’s heat lasted, Noctis taught himself how to silence the daemons inside his **one’s** head. As soon as he heard that inhuman gasping and chortling, (which he could hear if they were physically close enough or if Noctis focused on the emotional string of their bond, tied inextricably between them now), Noctis took Ardyn’s face in both hands. He whispered a long stream of: “Shhh….” directly into Ardyn’s ear, pushing a tiny fraction of his alpha essence into the sound. In a matter of moments, the daemons’s voices fell silent. Cowed into obedience.

Because the daemons preyed upon Ardyn’s soul, they were as weak to Noctis as the omega himself. Noctis could bend them to his will easily enough.

Every time Noctis showed Ardyn that power, the older man stared at him hesitantly. A brief moment of uncertainty passed between them. As if Ardyn were afraid Noctis might use that same power to demand something else.

But Noctis never did. He really did not like the idea of forcing Ardyn to do anything—that piece of alpha-hood had never sat right with him, to begin with, and especially now that he had a mate of his own who was particularly susceptible to him. If Noctis was going to use that power for anything, he wanted to use it to make his lover more comfortable. A bit more sane and clear-headed. That’s all.

So, after each time Noctis soothed the burgeoning darkness inside Ardyn, the alpha would just smile back at his lover. “Better?” he would ask, combing his fingers through Ardyn’s magnificent red hair.

Ardyn would just close his eyes and nod. It was better, after all, to be able to focus for once. To not be torn in so many directions. To feel ever so slightly more…human.

Sleeping curled up together was just as good as the sex. The soft feedback of each other’s thoughts lulled them into a calm, restful state. A true sleep.

That said, they also needed to eat from time to time. Or at least Noctis did. The servants had established a perimeter outside their charge’s room. No one could come within six feet in any direction of the nest without the prince descending into fits of possessive, angry growling. 

Regis assured everyone that this was normal. He asked the staff to have patience with his son—explaining that if Noctis was guilty of anything it was picking such an impromptu place to mate his omega. Then he instructed the staff to cordon off the entire hallway so that the new pair could have the peace they needed. Some servants complained (now none of the rooms in that hallway could be properly cleaned until Ardyn’s heat passed), but there was nothing else to be done.

Only Ignis was allowed to pass the metaphorical barricade. Ignis, with his unobtrusive beta scent that Noctis had been familiar with his whole life, was the safest option. So, Ignis took it upon himself to leave a tray full of sandwiches, drinks, and snacks outside Noctis’s bedroom once a day. He needed to withstand some begrudging hissing from his prince on the other side of the door, but Ignis quickly learned to ignore it. After all, Noctis was an alpha. The advisor always knew this day might come. He had been mildly prepared, at least, for the day when Noctis’s inherent traits would come out.

Ignis just hadn’t expected the day to come so soon. And for a **one** as enigmatic and dangerous as that Chancellor from Niflheim… 

But there was nothing to be done about it now. Not after the two had bonded so quickly (almost immediately after meeting, which was rather fast considering how strange a pair they made, the chosen prince and a high-ranking official from the Empire). Any necessary arrangements would be discussed after Ardyn’s heat passed.

Ignis trusted that King Regis would know what to do. And he trusted himself to always remain at Noctis’s side, to embrace this new mate with all the love he had for Noctis himself. To make sure that their transition into bonded life went as smoothly as possible. Ignis would work his hardest to make it so.

So, unable to communicate verbally with his prince (it seemed Noctis was unable to talk without growling and yelling the occasional defensive phrase, plus the door in between them), Ignis left little handwritten notes on the tray alongside the food. Things like, _Remember to stay hydrated._ Or, _Shower at least once a day, please._

And: _Please make use of these,_ with an arrow pointing to a small pouch of pills.

Noctis’s alpha side lurched in immediate rage as soon as he saw those pills. He knew what they were and every instinct hardwired in his brain told him to flush them down the toilet without saying a word to Ardyn.

But then…Noctis knew that would be wrong. He had only to take one look at Ardyn—a practically ancient being, afflicted with Scourge, out of his mind with a desire he had never known before—to realize that Ardyn was in no place to make that kind of decision for himself. Not yet anyway, not during his first heat. And Noctis could not make it for him. Even as his alpha, Noctis did not believe he had incontrovertible authority over Ardyn’s life choices. They hadn’t even begun to talk about it…

So, fighting back his primal urges, Noctis made sure to give Ardyn a birth control pill once a day. He would wait until Ardyn was mewling with need and sniffing around the prince’s neck, ready for another round. Always the older man’s most amenable time. Then he would tell Ardyn to open his mouth. Hazy, mind clouded with desire, Ardyn always complied. Without telling him what the pills were, Noctis would stick one of the tiny, white ovals onto the back of Ardyn’s tongue, closing his omega’s mouth with one hand and massaging his throat with the other to help the older man swallow.

Ardyn always swallowed whatever he was given without much argument. “Hmm?” he would asked, frowning slightly as he peered up at his alpha.

Noctis, fighting down his misplaced fury, would force a smile and shake his head. “Don’t worry about it. Now, you were saying…?” Then he would get to work on pleasuring Ardyn as much as he liked. 

That was fine. Ardyn knew—the mark on his neck, given in spite of all the horrible truths about himself, served as a reminder—that he could trust Noctis. 

Besides that, Ardyn’s immediate desires had nothing to do with whatever Noctis was feeding him. He assumed perhaps they were suppressants to make his heat go faster, or else vitamins to keep up his strength (as Noctis was constantly nagging him to do, holding up bites of food to his mouth and urging him to partake, even though Ardyn hardly needed it). What he really needed was Noctis’s knot. Quickly, succinctly, and thoroughly. Please and thank you.

The idea of what those pills really were never crossed Ardyn’s mind. Noctis could see that. And so he knew, deep down, that he was doing the right thing.

Sometimes, when Ardyn was asleep and Noctis had a few moments to himself, the prince would write short messages back to Ignis. _Got it,_ with a check to indicate he was following his advisor’s directions. And, _Hamburgers?_ Little requests for more food. 

Even if Noctis could not stop himself from growling defensively at Ignis every time he came close, the prince knew his friend was trying to help him. Of course. But his temper flared so suddenly as soon as he smelled anyone else—even a beta—coming near his vulnerable, heat-addled omega…he could not stop himself from losing control. He waited until Ignis was already beyond the perimeter before hastily opening the door and pulling the tray inside his mating nest.

Noctis figured he would have to apologize to Ignis quite a bit when all this was over. And thank him. Like always. So, nothing new there, really.

_______________________________________

Towards the end of the week, Ardyn felt his temperature beginning to cool. No longer was the blood in his veins boiling, surging around his body in a mad rush, forcing his heart to beat fast, too fast to keep up with any kind of thought or coherency. Ardyn could think a little better now. His skin was not quite so sensitive to the touch, and his cock did not leak every time Noctis so much as glanced at it. He still melted into a puddle of slick with each kiss, but at least the slick was not pouring out of him at a constant rate. An improvement.

After a few days, Ardyn was able to contemplate the world outside of this room.

He started by spending a few minutes away from Noctis’s side here and there. Sometimes, after another round of mating, once the prince’s knot subsided, Ardyn extricated himself from his alpha and moved away. Just to see what it felt like. He was ready for the swell of anxiety and psychic pain that assailed him every time they separated. But by the end, all Ardyn felt was a small stab of nerves. Not pleasant, but livable. It seemed his mortal body would allow him to physically part from Noctis, finally. For a full minute, at first. Then five. Then ten, until at last Ardyn was able to take a shower on his own without suffering the pain of being away from his **one.**

The invisible string between them pulled tightly, tugging at their cores, but it did not break. Slowly, Ardyn’s instincts assuaged themselves with the idea that the bond would never break. Or at least, not so easily. 

The mating bite on Ardyn’s neck healed into a dark scab, which would eventually scar healthily. A successful bonding. It tingled every time Ardyn stepped away from Noctis, but in a way, the pain was nice. It reminded him that even when they were apart, their souls were still mingled and mixed. The bite proved that.

Alone for the first time since he had been turned, Ardyn closed the bathroom door and stared at himself in the mirror. He knew Noctis was awake on the other side of that door, listening closely in case Ardyn called out for him. That was good. But that aside, Ardyn needed to really look at himself. To note each and every change in himself since becoming…this.

The full-length mirror in the bathroom reflected Ardyn’s naked body from head to toe. His eyes widened at seeing himself again—it suddenly felt like a lot to take in, the reality of his own form—but really, there were not _that_ many changes. (Not on the outside, anyway.) His face had not changed at all. Scruffy, somewhat cragged, with golden uncompromising eyes and unruly burgundy hair. The same. Of course, there was the bite mark on his scent gland. Dark red, pronounced, almost a perfect circle. Ardyn fingered the mark curiously and rode out a harsh shiver. He could feel each bump where each one of Noctis’s teeth had pierced him. Naturally, he remembered what it felt like to be bitten. Such a…unique experience.

Alright. Life-changing. Ardyn would admit that to himself.

He liked seeing the impressions of Noctis’s teeth on his skin. He liked knowing that he would bear the marks all his life. It gave him a kind of confidence—knowing that his **one** had accepted him, had allowed their souls to bond even though Ardyn’s was hardly anything someone would want for their own. Still, Noctis took him. He was _his_. 

The prince of light belonged to Ardyn now. Astrals be damned. Ardyn watched as his lips curled into a smirk in the mirror. Ha. Yes. Their bond defied a great many things about the world. Mortality, chance, destiny. That pleased Ardyn very much, really.

Of course, there was the Empire to consider, but…did Ardyn really care about those fools? No, not at all. Let Niflheim burn to the ground. What did that matter now. All Ardyn needed to do was find a way to secure his life with Noctis.

Yes. Make sure they could keep their bond strong, healthy, and intact. Ardyn looked deep inside of himself and found that this was the only thing he wanted now. Destroying the line of Lucis, destroying the Crystal…Ardyn did not care, unless he needed to take action to make sure he could stay with Noctis. 

For that, Ardyn would have raised hell itself if he had to. He could. And if it came to that, if the world did not accept their union, then Ardyn would set the whole damn thing aflame and watch it burn. Fuck Eos. Fuck Lucis. Ardyn just wanted to be with Noctis.

Such a dramatic flip in his motivations seemed only natural after spending a week writhing powerlessly under the Chosen One. An all-encompassing need like that…Ardyn shook his head. He could never hope to find a motivation that went beyond that.

As he showered, Ardyn took care to clean himself as thoroughly as he could. Inside and out. There some other…notable changes to consider. 

He had seen the way his genitals were permanently shrunk, and…well, that was regrettable. It felt like a piece of his manliness itself had been taken away, and Ardyn honestly did not know how to feel about that. He should probably be more attached to the idea of his own inherent masculinity, but after two thousand years? Eh. Not that he didn’t care at all—he did, there was a matter of pride to consider—but Ardyn was more curious than anything. What had his body become? While his penis shrank, his prostate had seemingly doubled or tripled in size. Making Ardyn crave penetration more than anything, more so than even burying his dick inside something (a drive that had controlled a fair amount of Ardyn’s psyche for most of his life). But being fucked now felt like…just… _that_ …

The immortal’s whole body broke out in goosebumps as he remembered what it felt like to be fucked now, with such a greedy hole as he had. The sensation was more pleasurable anything else he had ever experienced, sexually or otherwise. It was hard to lament the loss of regular sex when Ardyn had this new, utterly intoxicating kind of mating to look forward to. Besides, if anything, his cock was even more sensitive now. Should Ardyn attempt to penetrate someone in the future, he was sure it would feel even better than before. 

So, manly pride aside, Ardyn’s omega body was something he could learn to live with. Even though…it was more than a bit uncooperative. Those wild heats. Would Ardyn really have to go through all that every month? That was insane. Not to mention, Ardyn was starting to get hungry again. Just thinking about sex made his insides long for contact again, his inner walls throbbing as they imagined being assaulted with his **one’s** knot.

Just managing to turn the shower off, Ardyn fled the bathroom without even bothering to dry himself. He jumped on top of his prince’s prone body on the bed, purring and groaning, licking the alpha’s heartily scented throat to goad the younger man into action.

Noctis laughed and wrapped his arms around the omega. “Hey, you're all wet…” he bemoaned, patting Ardyn’s soaked head and shoulders. 

“Mmm, problem?” Ardyn asked between licks to his lover’s chest and nipples.

Noctis grunted as he felt his cock stirring back to life. He buried his fingers in Ardyn’s hair and scented his claiming mark on the older man’s throat. 

“Heh, nah. Already wanna go again?” the prince asked. His voice was thick and dark with lust, blue eyes disappearing behind growing black pupils. 

Ardyn’s body shook with need when he felt Noctis’s manhood rise to meet him. Rubbing against his backside. Good to go. “You know I do…” he growled in Noctis’s ear. He lined his fluttering entrance up with his alpha’s cock and slowly lowered himself.

“Ahh….” Ardyn’s eyes lolled around his head as his nerves flared in satisfaction.

There, there it was. This cock. This thing that could make Ardyn feel so fucking incredible. The member that had carved out a place for itself inside of the immortal until his body could no longer live without it. He needed this beautiful rod with him at all times, always. Whenever the soft place inside of him—that impossibly large sweet spot—cried out, begging for contact.

Oh, fucking Angelguard on high, Ardyn needed this cock. If there were any downsides to being an omega, and surely there were, needing his lover’s knot in order to stay alive was right at the top of list. 

But…he might as well come to terms with it, Ardyn thought. He needed Noctis. He needed his **one.** There was no way around that now.

___________________________________

Eventually, when Ardyn’s heat (finally, after what felt like an eternity) passed, Noctis suggested that they both get dressed. Ardyn—by now long used to obediently following whatever Noctis asked him to do—immediately begin putting his clothes back on.

By the time he was halfway dressed, it occurred to Ardyn that this meant Noctis was planning on opening the door to the rest of the world. His head was much clearer now, after all. 

“Noctis…” Ardyn began, sitting down on the body alongside his alpha who had thrown on a t-shirt and some black jeans. Oh shit, even in casual clothes his **one** looked so radiant. Slim neck poking out of the shirt’s collar, pale and lovely (with a few hickeys from their time together), tempting Ardyn to lick it again. So close, right where the smell was strongest…

“It’ll be okay,” Noctis replied, even though Ardyn had not actually voiced a question. He brushed his black, feathery bangs out of his eyes and gripped Ardyn’s shoulder reassuringly. “We’re just going to let Ignis in first. He’s fine. He’s the one who left all those trays out for us. He’s a beta and…Ignis is a good friend of mine, so don’t worry.”

Naturally, Noctis could feel the anxiety wafting off his **one.** He could not know the reason for it, other than just fear of the general awkwardness that was bound to come up. Ardyn was still the chancellor, after all. Noctis himself was a little nervous about how all that would play out.

True enough; Ardyn was not exactly looking forward to facing the rest of the world as a chancellor-turned-omega to the prince. There would be much discussion of politics and all that. The situation with the betrothal and the empire…all that nonsense.

But more than that, Ardyn was very tense about his new status in the world. Everyone would look at him not as a beta, a normal every day person with thoughts and opinions, but instead as an omega. Because…that’s what he was.

When Ardyn was growing up, omegas were generally hidden from the rest of society. Once they found their **one** , their alpha man a home for them in the far reaches of the town. Or in some cases, the wilderness. There, the omega would share a life with their soulmate, raise a family and take care of their home. But the omega would never be allowed to walk freely among the city again. Not without their alpha. If they did, the omega would be inviting a world of hatred and disgust upon themselves. They were denied access to stores and public spaces. People did not look directly at an omega, for any reason. If an omega wanted to speak, they needed to speak through their alpha. And people would respond to their alpha in kind. If they were alone, the omega was much more susceptible to assault…in Ardyn’s day and age, it had been flat out dangerous for an omega to wander the streets alone.

The sight of their mating mark was the ultimate shame. Even worse than walking around naked in public, bare for all to see.

Times had changed, though. Somewhat. Eventually, omegas rebelled against their station and took to wearing thick collars around their neck to signify their status and to hide their unsightly marks. They pushed themselves into public spaces and fought back when people tried to punish them for it. As years passed, people just accepted omegas as part of society. They could walk around as they liked—but some old-fashioned people took to ignoring them until the day they died.

These days, omegas were fully integrated into public spaces. It was not uncommon to see an omega walking around town unattended. Especially in Insomnia, where public sentiment was a little more liberal. The collar thing was out of style now. Omegas wore colorful necklaces or fashionable scarves to cover their marks. Sometimes (this was a very modern fad, within the past ten years Ardyn would say) omegas barely even bothered. Young omegas could get away with wearing a high collared shirt that covered less than half their mark without issue. Some even left it totally bare, covering it with just a hint of flesh-colored make-up! 

Ardyn was completely aghast the first time saw an omega on the street with an exposed mark. How indecent! Youth these days never tired of pushing the envelope, it seemed. 

Luckily, Ardyn already had a scarf with him. He tied it around his neck—a little more tightly than usual—to fully cover the mark, as appropriate. He could not imagine walking around (even just the Citadel, anywhere outside this room) with his neck out like that. This mark was special, between him and Noctis. He did not want anyone to see it and think less of him.

That would be intolerable.

Beyond that, Ardyn had no intention of establishing himself as Noctis’s pet. He would follow the agreed upon measures of society if he needed to. Probably, the Lucian and Niflheim councillors would refuse to speak to him face to face. That was fine. Noctis was reliable enough. Ardyn could make all his wishes known through his alpha—he was certain Noctis would relay everything accordingly. 

But, in Niflheim, omegas were forbidden from attending official council meetings of any kind. Ardyn would not allow that. He would force his way into these meetings, even if it meant he needed to fight and kill for his right to do so. Furthermore, in Ardyn’s time omegas needed to walk three to five steps behind their alpha with their heads down. Demure and obedient. Ardyn would never submit himself to such treatment. He would walk alongside Noctis—not a single step behind. And he would keep his head high. Let people gasp if they saw him. As soon as they scented him, his sweet omega smell would tell his whole truth. No avoiding that. But it did not mean Ardyn needed to prostrate himself like a knave. 

So, as he dressed himself, Ardyn attempted to mentally prepare for the fight of his life. He would need to fight just to exist in this world as an omega, as an equal. No, not even as an equal—as someone barely above a slave.

Anger simmered inside Ardyn’s stomach, set to a low boil. All his regrets from the week before came rushing back to him. Those first horrible moments after he turned—scared, furious, frantic. Ardyn had never asked for any of this. If he had to fight, so be it, but he would spit on the Astral’s grave as he destroyed everything they held dear in the name of revenge.

_Insufferable maggots…rip them to shreds and defile the ashes…_

A shiver of daemonic rage sidled up Ardyn’s back. He twisted his head, listening to the daemon’s voices shambling back to life.

“Hey.”

The clear sound of his **one’s** voice cut through the noise. Ardyn whipped his head around to face Noctis. There his prince stood, frowning, blues eyes fogged over with worry. Noctis reached over and stroked the side of Ardyn’s face comfortingly.

“You okay?" 

Ardyn looked away. His anger dissipated automatically as he felt the reassuring touch of his **one.** He remembered how it felt to be bonded—the harsh connection of two souls, changing him forever—and he scented his alpha to remind himself that he was not alone. 

He would never be alone. Noctis had made that abundantly clear by mating him and staying at his side for the duration of his first, painful heat. Ardyn needed to swallow around thick feeling in his throat, the knowledge that he could depend on someone. Really and truly. This person, this beautiful boy in front of him…

That tickling feeling in his chest. Adoration for Noctis and overwhelming happiness. Ardyn did not want to name that feeling yet—even though he knew what it was—but its presence was beginning to feel normal.

“I’m…alright,” Ardyn said, nuzzling Noctis’s face with his own. Emotions passed between them through their bond. “But…can you promise me that you’ll…”

He couldn’t say the rest. Let me have my freedom. Let me speak. Let me walk alongside you like a partner. Those words just wouldn’t come.

But Noctis nodded all the same. “Yes, I promise. I'm not gonna make you do anything, Ardyn. You know that.” Noctis brought his omega’s hand to his lips and pressed a deferent kiss to the older man’s knuckles. “I’m just gonna stay with you. I’ll be right there, okay? The whole time. So, whatever you need just tell me.”

The tickle in his chest threatened to bubble over. Ardyn closed his eyes and nodded.

“And, no one is going to hurt you here. Not in the Citadel, anyway. I promise.” Noctis's eyes shone with crystalline sincerity. “We’re not like that. Let’s just talk to Ignis first and then we’ll go meet with my dad. Okay?”

Ardyn huffed slightly. He certainly did not believe that Lucians were ‘not like that,’ somehow beyond mistreating an omega. That was naivety, and Noctis was young. But Ardyn wasn’t worried about anyone trying to harm him. He did not need Noctis’s protection—after all, he was the strongest being in this whole Citadel by far. Really, the thing that bothered him the most was the thought of being looked down on. Seen as inferior in some way. Ardyn had a lot of trouble abiding that. Especially when he thought about the last time he had been treated like that—in this very Citadel, even…

Ardyn was more afraid of losing his temper. Of flying into a killing rage. He really didn’t want to do that, not in front of his **one.** Noctis knew Ardyn was not entirely human, but even so. Ardyn wanted to keep a semblance personhood for as long as he could. 

Soon enough, they heard telltale footsteps down the hall. There was only ever one person, so they knew it who was right away. They heard a tray clattering and a few quick raps on the door—the usual signal.

This time, instead of growling, Noctis tried to smile and called out, “It’s okay, Ignis. You can come in.” 

After a few moments of surprised silence, Ignis slowly opened the door. The smell of another person rushed in to meet them—the unfamiliar scent of someone else in the room for the first time since they mated. Fortunately, it was only Ignis. His beta scent was like fresh, blank paper. Ardyn scented the advisor surreptitiously, calming his nerves. He liked the man’s scent. And he was impressed by the man’s dedication—a tray every day no matter how rudely Noctis snarled back at him.

“Majesty…” Ignis said slowly, bowing formally at waist. He entered the room and put the tray down on Noctis’s nightstand. Then—to Ardyn’s utter shock—he bowed to the omega and said, “Chancellor."

Ardyn’s eyes widened. He found himself unable to say anything in return. This chamberlain—a royal retainer—was bowing at _him_? …Okay, then. 

“Hey man,” Noctis answered. He chuckled bashfully, rubbing the back of his neck in thinly veiled embarrassment. “Sorry about…um, you know. The growling and stuff. I just couldn’t help it. But you were a big help, so yeah…sorry. And thanks a lot.” 

A smile teased at Ignis’s lips. He glanced between Noctis and Ardyn for a few moments with an unreadable expression. Then he said, “That’s quite alright, Highness. I understand completely. But, it’s very good to be able to see your face again. You look well. Both of you, in fact, look…rather well-rested and refreshed.” 

Noctis blushed. Even Ardyn had to glance away at the awkwardness of that statement. Was Ignis impervious to shame or something? Probably.

Ignis’s intelligent green eyes swept over to the bathroom. He noted the steam coming out of the shower, and the prince’s general cleanliness. Nodding in approval, he said, “Glad to see you’ve been taking my advice. Now, is there anything else I can get you?” 

“No, we’re alright for now,” Noctis replied. “But…I guess we should meet with my dad soon, huh?”

Ignis handed a plate of sandwiches to each of them. Noctis tucked into his food eagerly, while Ardyn just stared at the plate sort of dumbfounded. Ignis was serving him, instead of giving both plates to Noctis and letting the prince decide when he wanted Ardyn to eat? Really?

A spike of uneasiness sprouted in Ardyn’s stomach. This is not what he’d been expecting.

“Yes, the king is waiting to speak with you.” Ignis straightened his glasses and poured them both a glass of water. “He believed you would be ready to leave your nest within the next few days. His Majesty seems to have a good sense for these things.” 

He laid out the glasses for them. “So I’ll inform him right away. But, I should tell you a few things first. To begin with, all talk of your imminent betrothal to Lady Lunafreya has ceased, Highness. Secondly, contact with the Empire has been sparse in general since the last peace talk. We’ve sent a few letters back and forth but his Majesty has declined to make their contents public. I believe he’ll say more when you meet with him.” 

Suddenly, Ignis’s eyes landed on Ardyn’s untouched plate. “Is everything to your taste, Chancellor?” he asked the immortal. “I can make you something else, if you’d like.” 

Ardyn stared back at Ignis for a full minute, mind reeling when the royal advisor made eye contact with him. This man could look at an omega without flinching. That had to be extraordinary, some kind of learned trait, right? Maybe Ignis practiced for years to be able to keep an even tone with the weakest dynamic. As part of his job. 

Remarkable.

“Ah, no, thank you,” Ardyn said, putting his plate down on the nightstand. “I’m afraid I’m not a big eater. Though this does look delicious…” Just to seem normal, Ardyn reached out and took a few bites of the sandwich. Actually it was rather good. 

_Careful. Watch him, this one with the smart eyes…_

Ardyn listened cautiously to the daemons. Of course, it was better to be on his guard around all these Lucians. 

But Noctis seemed so trusting of Ignis and really…Ardyn could not detect a hint of falsehood in the beta. Betas were not great liars to begin with, especially not in the presence of an alpha like Noctis. Besides, if Ignis was trying to poison him he would have attempted to do so before when Ardyn was weak in the throes of heat. So. 

Ignis nodded, breaking into a small smile. “Glad to see it’s to your liking.” 

For a moment, the advisor spared Ardyn a look of fondness. His eyes skirted towards Noctis and the immortal caught an expression of pride brimming on Ignis’s face. If anything, the man seemed pleased with this turn of events. 

…Pleased? Ardyn frowned when he saw that look. 

“Well then, take your time and enjoy your meal,” Ignis instructed as he rose to his feet. “I’ll go let King Regis know that you’re ready to meet with him.”

Before he left, Ignis squeezed Noctis’s shoulder affectionately. The two shared another look. Ignis was still gleaming with pride and Noctis looked back, partially embarrassed and partially extremely self-satisfied. With that, he left and the two were alone again.

“He’s a good guy, right?” Noctis said to his mate, referring to Ignis. 

“…yes,” Ardyn admitted. He looked curiously over at the food and drinks the man left. 

…Perhaps the best thing for him to do was to observe for now, Ardyn thought. Before rushing to any decisions about these Lucians.

______________________________

They met with Regis that day. The king told Noctis, Ardyn and Ignis to sit in his private sitting room and wait for him to be done with another meeting. As soon as they all sat down, a big burly man in tight black t-shirt came in as well. Black eagle tattoos lined his arms and his face was complete with a harsh scar down the left side. 

This had to be the Shield, Ardyn reasoned. Definitely an alpha. He smelled like a jungle—musky and dark, fertile and fresh—and also a bit like Clarus, the king’s Shield. So Ardyn was able to put the pieces together easily enough.

“Gladio!” Noctis called, as soon as the man charged into the room. 

Settling his eyes on the prince, the Shield scented Noctis quickly and roughly. Of course, he could smell the difference. Ardyn’s scent was all over the prince.

“Get over here,” Gladiolus said with a huge smile on his face. Noctis sauntered across the room with smug satisfaction. He held out his hand and Gladiolus pulled him in for a manly hug, one arm wrapped around Noctis’s shoulders. 

They clapped each other on the back, sharing a few low grunts. Some kind of mutual recognition among alphas. Ardyn had seen such affection between the strongest dynamic before, but never as genuine as this. Gladiolus seemed completely at peace with Noctis and his new smell, while Noctis was positively glowing with pride. The feeling of being accepted by his friends and also at being a successful alpha, able to claim an omega and help him through his heat. These were marks of honor for any alpha, naturally.

Even though Ardyn rolled his eyes at the display, a small part of him was deeply pleased that his mate was satisfied. That having Ardyn as a mate still qualified as a badge of distinction, even for an omega as old and unappealing as Ardyn himself. Surely Ignis and Gladiolus had hoped Noctis would bond with a much better candidate—Ardyn had prepared himself for terse looks and standoffish remarks, signs of disappointment about who Ardyn was as a person (well, “person”). 

Yet, here they were. Knocking the prince around like a younger brother who just lost his virginity. Far from upset, they seemed delighted. 

When Gladiolus was done pounding Noctis on the back, he went over to Ignis and fist bumped the advisor. Then, successfully navigating the room, he stood in front of Ardyn and immediately scented him. 

It raised the hairs on Ardyn’s arms to be scented without preamble, especially by an alpha as obviously strong as Gladiolus. But, he instinctually responded by scenting Gladiolus in return. From that, he could glean a few different things. 

For one, Gladiolus was curious about Ardyn. A little apprehensive, but mostly just interested. Also Gladiolus was more than a little fond of Ardyn already, being the soulmate of his charge. He could clearly smell Noctis all over the chancellor, and the Shield’s eyes landed on the scarf around Ardyn’s neck as a matter of course. 

Beyond that, Ardyn could not help smelling some of Noctis on the larger man as well. Some of Ignis, too. That fresh parchment smell. Were these men…a pack?

Ardyn knew very little about packs. He had never been a part of one. And pack mates were not very vocal about the experience to people outside their pack. As far as Ardyn could tell, being in a pack meant being a little closer than friends. Able to sense things about one another. Informally bonded, in a way that could change over time. Not soulmates, but good companions. 

He didn’t know anything else.

“You the guy?” Gladiolus asked Ardyn roughly. Their scents still lingered heavily on each other’s noses.

“The prince’s soulmate?” Ardyn replied. “Yes.” 

He was starting to think that perhaps Gladiolus and Ignis were so accepting of Ardyn because they were part of Noctis’s pack. That would make the most sense, after all. Although, Gladiolus was making eye contact without so much as raising an eyebrow. Even for an alpha’s pack mate, that was unheard of by other alpha’s standards…wasn’t it?

“Good to meet you, finally,” Gladiolus asserted. He slapped Ardyn on the shoulder and smiled at him, pushing an aura of friendliness out through his essence. Like an unspoken welcome.

“…Thank you…” Ardyn said uncertainly. He tried to stop his aura from smelling so defensive—in fact, it would be better if he could control his essence altogether. But he did not know how to do that yet.

“Come, let’s sit down,” Ignis called from the side of the room. “I’ll put on some tea.” 

They drank in silence, for the most part. But some looks and deep-throated grunts passed between Noctis and his friends. Things Ardyn attempted to decipher but had very little success with. Some kind of nonverbal communication between pack mates. Was that a thing? Apparently. 

When the king arrived, everyone rose to their feet.

Regis walked in with Clarus Amicitia behind him. His alpha aura preceded him. A heavy, blanketing smell. As humidifying and intimate as the city of Insomnia itself. Metallic, tall, and alive. Regis smelled like a burgeoning metropolis, clearly the emblem of the city where he presided. Ardyn had not smelled the king so strongly before, nor had he felt the weight of such a powerful alpha’s essence on him. So he could not help whimpering a little in the back of his throat.

Such an immodest sound. But Regis was… _king_. The word itself, imbued with the nascent magic of the Crystal, made Ardyn’s knees a little weak. 

_Don’t you dare kneel to this farcical king!_ The daemons screeched. Angry as all hell by Ardyn’s immediate reaction. _This man is so, so much weaker than us…weak, hobbled, pitiful…_

That was true. Regis was probably not nearly as powerful as Ardyn, not in strictly magical sense, anyway. But. Regis had the aura of the strongest alpha in the kingdom. A godly scent. One that made Ardyn fight to remain standing, on the basis of pride alone. Besides that, Regis smelled ever so faintly like Noctis. As if Noctis’s scent was reduced to its purest form, then blanketed with another man’s smell. 

Positively mouthwatering. 

Ardyn tried not to think of that place inside of him that reveled with contact from a strong knot. Otherwise, he would need to drag Noctis out of here and beg the prince to fuck him. As soon possible, however he could. Even if he had to get on all fours and fuck himself on Noctis’s dick while the prince remained standing, Ardyn would do it. Oh, stars above…Ardyn would do it…

“Noct…” Regis said quietly. He looked at his son with a teary-eyed expression. Clarus took a seat behind him, nodding respectfully over at Ignis and Gladiolus.

“Hey, Dad,” Noctis said, fluffing the back of his hair self-consciously. But there was a hint of a smile on his dainty lips all the same. A shadow of pride.

Without saying anything else, Regis stomped over to Noctis and wrapped his son in a full-bodied hug. The air went out of the room for a moment—it was strange tosee Regis do something so out of character, so un-regal, all of a sudden. But it was easy to understand why. A sense of alpha appreciation a million times stronger than Gladiolus’s flooded the small sitting room. Everyone else in attendance fell into silence. Warm smiles glued to their faces.

Regis whispered something into his son’s ear, which made Noctis squirm in protest for a moment. Then he let the young man go and turned to Ardyn.

“Chancellor Izunia,” he began, locking eyes with the immortal as easily as breathing. He opened his mouth to say something else, but instead, he held out his hand for Ardyn to shake.

Completely thrown by the king’s unfaltering attention, Ardyn slowly accepted the hand. He had a difficult time looking Regis in the eye because he was not certain how his own body would react.

Without warning, Regis pulled Ardyn in for a hug. 

Ardyn gasped—holding his breath against a rush of alpha pheromones and general petrification.

This was…? What the hell? 

"Dad, come on, don’t…” Noctis chimed in, tapping his father on the shoulder.

Sighing, Regis let go of Ardyn. “Alright, alright. I’m sorry. It’s just…as soon as I smelled you on him I realized…” The king surreptitiously wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. “He’s your **one**.” 

Fighting back another unbidden round of hugging—which Ardyn shrunk away from automatically—Regis turned and forced himself into the chair next to Clarus. The Shield patted his king on the shoulder fortifyingly. Ignis poured another cup of tea, which Regis downed in a few swigs.

Sitting together on the couch opposite the king, Noctis privately snuck his hand inside Ardyn’s. The feeling of Regis’s arms still flooded all of the new omega’s senses. He never—even if you had given him another two thousand years—expected that kind of reaction. For a king to not only address an omega directly, looking into his eyes…but to embrace him? Like…family?

Ardyn clasped a hand to his forehead, feeling a bit dizzy. What was going on here? Some kind of trick? Or had times simply just changed much more than Ardyn knew? In his day, it would have been utter blasphemy to imagine a king treating an omega like that. Ardyn’s own father banned omegas from the Citadel altogether. They were not allowed on the premises.

_Nonsense. Lies. Tricks. Enemies…_

Very quietly, Noctis crooned in Ardyn’s ear. That unmistakable sound made the immortal’s shoulders heave. He wanted to lay down in Noctis’s arms. To crawl back to the nest and forget any of this ever happened. 

This was nothing like he imagined. He needed to regroup, re-strategize. Prepare himself for something totally different: Acceptance—the one thing he had never planned on. 

“I’m sorry, again, Chancellor,” Regis began, seeming much more collected after his cup. “I know this is a lot for you. It’s just…seeing Noctis bonded is…well, it’s hard in a way. As a father. I know my son is grown now. He’s his own man.” He flashed a smile at Noctis, who blushed fiercely. “And then, on the other hand, it fills me with joy. Knowing that my son has found his soulmate, the person he's going to share his life with… That is very comforting to me. I could not be happier that I lived long enough to see it.”

The weight of that statement settled over the room in silence.

Then Regis continued. “So, in a word, thank you Ardyn. I know that you didn’t ask for any of this and you probably would have avoided the experience altogether if you had the choice. But I want you to know that I’m—well, all of us, everyone in this room—we’re happy to have you here. And we’ll do everything we can to make this easier for you.”

Now everyone was staring at Ardyn. And the older man had no idea how to respond. This did not feel like reality, or at least, not the same reality he had been living in for the past two thousand years. 

It was like he’d walked off the edge of the earth and landed on some strange other planet. Another world entirely. Where the hell was he right now? 

“I…thank you…” Ardyn mumbled. Just barely coherent. 

He could feel the dynamic weight of everyone else bearing down on him, four alphas and a beta. He was hyper-aware of his own fragility, the very thing he had been prepared to fight. But like this, where no one tried to dismiss, Ardyn could not draw from the well of anger inside to give him strength. 

Regis’s well-travelled eyes caught the look on Ardyn’s face. “Would everyone else be so kind as to leave me and the Chancellor alone for a few moments? There’s something private we need to discuss.” 

“Yup. Clear out, folks.” Clarus immediately rose to his feet and ushered Ignis and Gladiolus out of the room. 

Noctis stayed behind. Surprisingly, Regis spared his son a wily old smile. “Even you, Noct. If you could just wait outside for a moment.” 

The prince glanced wildly back and forth between his mate and his father. Ardyn could not help the way his entire body clenched in apprehension. He despised the idea of being separated from his **one,** in the presence of an alpha he did not know.

Regis pushed out a calming aura with his will. They both relaxed automatically, though not completely. “It’s alright,” Regis said amicably. “I will return him to you in a moment, son.” 

“…Okay…” Noctis said confusedly. He looked Ardyn in the eye and said, “I’ll just be right outside.” With that, he kissed the side of Ardyn’s face and crooned to him lowly. 

…These damn Lucians. The combined sensation of the king’s calming aura and his mate’s crooning was making Ardyn’s body melt back into the couch. He propped himself up on the couch cushions, groaning vaguely when he saw Noctis leave.

There was that tightening in his chest. The tugging on their bond. Ardyn held his breath for a moment against the strange stab of pain.

Once they were completely alone, Regis took a deep breath. He could suck in the complete atmosphere of the room, purify the tension, and exhale it back out. Ardyn’s body hung limply on the back of the couch. He felt suddenly sleepy, almost too calm even in spite of the craziness. The immortal forced himself to keep his eyes open.

Regis’s face was serious, though. “Am I to assume…omegas are treated differently in Niflheim?” 

“…Yeah. A bit,” Ardyn responded scathingly. He could not even attempt to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

Regis nodded. “I see. So we’re…not what you were expecting. But, if it’s any consolation, your brethren from Niflheim have sent a letter regarding your post. I…believe you already know the outcome, don’t you?” 

The king reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a folded letter with the Niflheim seal on the front. He handed it to Ardyn, who took longer than normal to work his sluggish limbs into action.

Yes. He expected this.

_The position of chancellor has been eradicated from our ranks. Do not attempt to contact us about the omega in your care. It is no servant of the Empire any longer.  
_ _\- His Radiance, the Undying Emperor Iedolas_

So the Empire was denouncing all connection to Ardyn. Made sense. Hell, if Ardyn had still been their advisor, he would have suggested they do the same thing. There was no concept of loyalty among men who fancied themselves gods. Obviously. And Ardyn’s connection to the prince was irrevocable. He could no longer remain in contact with both the Empire and his **one.** So, as far as Iedolas was concerned, Ardyn was as good as dead. 

“In light of this,” Regis began. “I would ask that you tell me now of any plots you know to take my son’s life. Or my life. If you would. For the sake of your bond and for the life of your soulmate.” 

It was fair. Ardyn had planned to reveal all this anyway, even without this pointless letter.

So, he told him. Every move the Empire was planning. The farcical nature of the betrothal. The imminent attack on Insomnia using an army of magiteck. 

Regis took it all in. 

When he was done with that, Ardyn told Regis his true nature. The fact that he was the Accursed, the Starscourge. Everything. What reason did he have to hide any longer? His **one** wanted more than anything to cure Ardyn of this affliction—if such a thing were even possible (which it probably wasn’t). That being the case, they would need to share the information with Regis and anyone else that might be able to help them.

Regis had said…he would do everything in his power to make their lives easier. Unless that was a lie. 

At the end, Regis took a deep breath. His face remained impassive for all of that. Even when Ardyn explained his own immortality and the fact that he was himself a descendent of the Lucis line (distant enough that they didn’t exactly need to worry about any impropriety, but still). 

“I believe that you’re telling the truth,” Regis began. “Because there’s no way anyone would lie about that. Besides, I can smell it on you. The Affliction. The Darkness. The Curse, what have you. I knew it was there the moment we met. When I found out you were my son’s soulmate…I immediately began researching how to cure such a thing. I’ve been in contact with the Oracle. Perhaps…she can find a way.”

Regis shook his head. “Regardless, thank you for the information. Let us take what steps we can now to mitigate this invasion. And, you should know, whatever you require to make your life more comfortable here, I am happy to provide.” Of all things, the king broke out into another smile. “You are welcome to stay in the Citadel for as long as you want. Or, if you would like to live somewhere else—a private location—I can have Ignis start looking into it for you and my son.”

Ardyn’s eyes were still so weary. He heard what the king was saying, but after divesting all of his life’s secrets, he needed a bit of a rest before diving into the future.

“Take your time,” Regis said, throwing his hands into the air. He rose to his feet. “You can stay in the Citadel until you come to a decision. Until then, Ignis tells me you’ve been taking the contraception we provided?” 

Ardyn’s mind froze. 

“…What?” 

Regis reached into his pocket and pulled out another pouch of white, oval-shaped pills. “These.” 

Of course, Ardyn recognized those pills. The ones Noctis had been feeding him every day while he was in heat. He had thought…

…but then, this made the most sense. Omegas could become pregnant—even males. He knew that. Obviously, but…Ardyn just hadn’t realized that he…that the same could happen to him.

He closed his eyes. Suddenly overwhelmed and a bit nauseous. His vision swam with an image of himself, belly swollen, carrying Noctis’s child…feeling himself about to vomit, Ardyn clenched his stomach in one hand and fought back the bile in his throat. 

“Here,” Regis said, pushing the pouch into Ardyn’s hand. “Take the rest. It’s advised to take one pill once a day for the most protection. No side effects, I’m told. You can…do whatever you like with these. It’s none of my business. I just want you to have access to all the options. And…” Regis looked a little embarrassed about this whole thing himself. The pills rattled around the bag in Ardyn’s hand. “I only ask that you please discuss the matter with my son. So you’re both in agreement. If you need more, just ask Ignis.” 

Ardyn knew he should probably thank the king, but his mouth felt numb. Noctis had been feeding him birth control pills…without telling him. Did that mean…?

Fuck, Ardyn had no idea what that meant. He did not want to understand it—did not even want to think about it—but these pills, and these possibilities, were yet another part of his life now. 

Add that to the top of the list.

“Finally, I must apologize to you for the…hasty way my son mated you,” Regis said—relieved to have the contraceptive talk out of the way. Now his face looked apologetic and distantly nostalgic. “I tried to raise him with the idea that it’s better to wait once you find your **one.** Agree upon a mutually beneficial mating nest and take your time with the claiming process, but…” Regis heaved a great sigh. “It seems my son is a bit more wayward than even I knew. I hope you’re not offended by his eagerness.” 

Ardyn thought back to the moment where Noctis mated him. At the time, if Noctis had waited even another second, there was a good possibility Ardyn might have lost his mind completely. He knew the same could be said for the prince. They were just…eager people, perhaps.

So the immortal shook his head.

“Good.” Regis smiled again. He stared off to the side. “When I met my **one** , Noctis’s mother Aulea, we waited for a whole month before the claiming. I finally found the perfect spot—the place she had been waiting for. A cottage in Caem, right on the edge of the sea. It was the most romantic, magical place…” 

A whole _month_? No, no. Fuck no. Ardyn would have killed somebody if Noctis made him wait that long before claiming him. He figured that perhaps the need varied between people.

More interesting than that, though, was the knowledge that Regis’s soulmate had already died. Noctis’s mother. A beautiful, well-loved omega as far as Ardyn knew. But then…Regis had been living all these years without his mate?

Ardyn’s eyebrows knitted together. How? How could Regis stand the pain? How could anyone? Ardyn could hardly bear being away from Noctis for a half hour. Never mind almost twenty years. How had Regis kept his sanity? 

Maybe that—the loss of his **one** —is what had aged him as much as the Crystal’s leeching effect. 

“Anyway,” Regis announced. He ambled towards the door in his uneven gait. “Thank you for speaking with me like this. I hope that we can talk again sometime. Soon. And that perhaps, in time, you can allow yourself to depend on your family here at the Citadel. Now, I won’t keep you from Noctis any longer.”

His family. The word stung Ardyn’s ears. He did not have a family anmore…oh the concept was _ancient_ to him by now.

Ridiculous.

And yet…

Regis opened the door to find Noctis waiting immediately outside. Just as promised. They shared some information briefly, things they both already knew, before Regis bade them to get some rest. Noctis hoisted Ardyn to his feet and they returned to their hastily begotten mating nest.

Well. It was no cottage by the sea, but. Ardyn liked this room. It smelled like them. Faintly like his omega heat and dynamic sex.

His heat. Ardyn closed his eyes as the image of himself with child, came to mind again. He took out the package of pills and showed them to Noctis. 

“You’ve been giving me these,” Ardyn explained. He did not have the strength to sit, so he was already laying down on the bed. “Your father tells me they’re a form of contraception.”

“Uh, yeah…” Noctis replied. A light blush dusted his cheeks. “…sorry I didn’t tell you.”

Leaving that alone for the moment, Ardyn opened the pouch and popped one of the pills. It occurred to him that these tiny ovals offered him a sense of control over his disloyal body. At last, a sense of marvelous control. He would pop them like candy if he had to. 

“…Why didn’t you?” Ardyn asked, pulling his alpha to lay down on top of him. He scented Noctis automatically—it was becoming a habit now.

“I just…didn’t want you to worry about all that stuff during your first heat.” Noctis kissed Ardyn on the cheek. He huffed the omega’s scent gland self-consciously. “Having kids and stuff…that’s the kind of thing that needs to be decided before someone goes into heat. You know? You can’t make a decision like that when you’re caught up in a heat. Not the right mindset. And…I really didn’t want you to regret it. Once we were done, I mean.”

Ardyn tried to chase away the image of himself with child. He wanted to get rid of that idea and the painful dose of anxiety that came along with it. 

(What kind of parent would he make? What kind of daemonic child could this body produce? What did it feel like to be pregnant? ….Too much.)

“But, if you want to talk about it, that’s fine. If you don’t want to take them…if you want to start trying—”

“No.” Ardyn held up a hand to stop Noctis from talking. “You made the right decision. …Thank you.”

Sighing in relief, Noctis buried his face in his omega’s neck. “Good.” 

So. At least they were in agreement about this whole topic. Ardyn did not know how he would be able to defend himself if his **one** wanted offspring. He needed at least fifty more years to get his head around such a thing. Make that a hundred more years. 

Then Noctis continued, unhindered. “I thought we would wait until you’re cured.” 

The reassured smile drained from Ardyn’s face. 

…Well, shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be super smutty. This chapter has tons of father/son fluff lol because I needed to give Regis his due (actually my first time writing him).


	2. Needs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis notices that something isn't right...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, damn it all. I had to add another chapter. Because there's just a lot going on here lol. 
> 
> That said, I love this chapter. It's so fun writing Noctis like this....heheh.

**Chapter Two: Needs**

Ardyn had to admit, his **one** really was optimistic. To not only believe that they would definitely find a cure for him, but to already be planning their lives once the Scourge was lifted…it was amazing, truly.

If only Ardyn could bring himself to believe such a thing.

He went to the meetings with all the Lucian councillors—men and women who regarded Ardyn first and foremost as the prince’s mate. The main topics in these meetings consisted of one or two things mostly: 1) Preparing for the imminent attack from the Empire (which Ardyn believed he could greatly assist with, considering he knew much about Magiteck weapons) and 2) Curing the prince’s **one** of the Scourge. 

Much to Ardyn’s unending surprise, he was allowed to attend these meetings like any other member. And to speak for himself the whole time. Even though he was indeed the only omega in attendance. 

(Omegas were exceedingly rare after all. Recent studies claimed that omegas made up only 10% of the population, every 1 in 10 people. Most betas never found their soulmate, and most alphas went unmated their whole lives. Statistically, Ardyn and Noctis were some of the lucky ones.)

It seemed Lucian tolerance for omegas extended beyond professionalism, beyond pack dynamics, and beyond trickery. Everyone Ardyn encountered treated him no differently now that he was an omega. They continually referred to him as “he” instead of “it” (the latter of which was common practice in Ardyn’s time, and in Niflheim to this day). Beyond that, his title was officially “prince consort,” now that he was no longer a chancellor. That meant some servants and retainers referred to him as Highness for propriety’s sake.

Highness. A title Ardyn had never, ever expected to hear again. Least of all after he had been turned. 

It would take quite a while before Ardyn could be comfortable in a life like this. Everyone in Noctis’s world seemed to care very little about who and what Ardyn was. They did not make a big deal about his age, about his affiliation with the Empire, nor even about the Scourge. As far as anyone was concerned, soulmates were soulmates. Being bonded wiped the slate clean of anything that came before.

Prince Noctis and Prince Consort Ardyn. Those were their titles. Nothing else ever entered the picture.

Whenever they met, Regis referred to Ardyn as family. Ignis and Gladiolus treated Ardyn the same way they treated Noctis—as a brother. Respectful, but not overly formal. There was also a young blonde boy from outside the Citadel, a commoner and a beta Noctis referred to as his best friend. A boy named Prompto.

The first time Ardyn met Prompto, he could not hide the startled expression that rose immediately to his face. But, he knew this boy! This was the MT that escaped from Verstael’s lab—who Ardyn had watched escape as a baby with nothing but pure amusement. At the time, the whole idea was hilarious. An escaped MT, raised in the kingdom of Lucis. Oh how it pissed off Verstael—always a fun thing to do—and throwing a wrench into the system was something Ardyn generally tried to make a habit of doing.

To think that this MT had somehow managed to become the prince’s best friend…

Amazing. Simply amazing. Head shaking-ly so.

Whether Prompto knew what he was, Ardyn never had time to find out. Not once Prompto jumped on top of Ardyn’s shoulders from behind—before any kind of formal greeting. 

“Hey, it’s you! Oh em gee, it’s really you, dude! You’re the one Noctis told me about!” Prompto prattled, hanging off Ardyn’s shoulders like a clingy toddler.

Grunting as he tried to support the boy’s weight, Ardyn glanced at Noctis (who, damn him, was busy snapping photos of the scene on his friend’s camera). Eventually, Noctis helped pry Prompto off his **one,** but not before Ardyn was scented and even playfully nuzzled by the beta. 

Prompto smelled like what he was. Freshly made plastic with an undertone of crackling smoke (dark magic). Mixed with a hint of Verstael’s smell: Wintery forest, the landscape that was congruous with the mad scientist's laboratory in Ghorovas. After all, Verstael had used his own DNA to create his subjects. And even though the scientist himself was an alpha, he made sure to program all the MTs as betas. Part of an inferiority complex of some kind. 

But regardless, it gave Prompto an interesting smell. Typical bland beta aroma, cut with the darkness of his magiteck core and a hint of his alpha sire. Ardyn might have liked the smell better if the boy hadn't decided to assault him upon their first meeting.

And of course, Prompto carried a whiff of Noctis, Ignis, and Gladiolus around with him as well. 

When they were alone, Noctis explained that yes, he and his friends were indeed a fledging pack. Two alphas and two betas. Noctis explained that if Ardyn wanted to join them, he was more than welcome. It was quite common for soulmates to join each other’s packs—but it was by no means obligatory. If Ardyn wanted to give them their space, he certainly could.

Sometimes, having an omega in a pack complicated things. Their scent obfuscated matters, making it difficult for the alphas to focus and for the betas to smell anything besides the sickly sweet pheromones of the omega. Not to mention, the omega’s mated alpha might feel overly possessive with his omega hanging around a group of other alphas. Leading to assertions of dominance and fights. Inviting an omega into an established pack could bring trouble. 

But Noctis still made the offer to Ardyn. “Only if you want. I was going to wait a little longer before asking you but…the guys have been pestering me about it. They like you, you know?” 

Ardyn stiffened where he lay underneath his alpha. “Really.” 

It was hard for him to detect genuine affection like that, especially when it was directed at himself. Besides, he could not think of a reason why these young men were partial towards him. What the hell did they see in Ardyn besides the fact that he was Noctis’s **one**?

“Yeah,” Noctis assured him, nipping his lover’s ear affectionately. “You’re…different. Not like anyone else we’ve met. So they want to get to know you better.”

“Hmm…” Ardyn wanted to give his lover an answer about the whole thing, but. He had never even considered the prospect of being part of a pack before. He did not know what it entailed. And he did not want to just ask because he knew Noctis would not be able to put the experience into words—from what he could tell, pack bonding was more of a feeling than anything else. Very little rules. 

So, Ardyn filed the offer away in his mind. He would observe their little pack for now. Figure out for himself if it was something he could be a part of in the future. 

Yet another thing to think about while he desperately tried to normalize this strange new life of his. 

___________________________________

After a few weeks, Noctis started to notice he was getting stomachaches more frequently. Nothing too out of the ordinary; his stomach had always been sensitive, even as a child. But these kinds of stomachaches, low in the center of his abdomen, dull pain, more of a soreness than anything…well, Noctis knew exactly what they meant.

But his next rut should have been another month away. 

Ever since he presented, Noctis only went into rut five or six times a year. Usually he had a space of at least two months between cycles. Except this time, his last rut had been maybe five weeks ago. Not at all the usual latency he could depend on.

“Nnnh…” Noctis needed to grip his abdomen from time to time, clutching for relief. The pain was getting worse. His rut was maybe two days away at most.

The other signs were there, too. His eyes were more sensitive to bright light (pupils prone to dilating with each wracking pain in his stomach). He was hungrier than normal, packing away large meal after large meal. His temper had been flaring on and off for no reason—he even yelled at Gladiolus during practice one afternoon because he thought his lifelong trainer had tried to blindside him unfairly. It resulted in a quick spat between friends. They resolved it by getting into another spar. Silly, a small squabble. But noticeable. The prince’s contrary alpha-ness, the trait that wanted to fight all other alphas for dominance, which Noctis almost never showed, was coming out. 

Beyond that, Noctis had been more…spacey lately. Easily distracted.

To be fair, ever since he bonded with Ardyn, the sight of his **one** always took precedence over every other thing going on around him. When they were together—which was quite often—Noctis felt Ardyn’s presence like a hot ball of fire and lightning, drawing the prince’s eye like a moth to the flame. He loved looking at Ardyn. Always had, always would.

Because his **one** was absolutely _gorgeous_. Sure, Noctis knew that Ardyn thought of himself as old and unappealing—they had worked through all that their first time together—but Noctis could not disagree more. He thought Ardyn was the most beautiful thing in the world: Full-bodied, plenty of flesh and muscle to tease and worship. A light smattering of rose-colored hair across his chest, down his abdomen and straight into his soft bush of pubes—the most delicious happy trail Noctis had ever seen, porn included. Permanent five o’clock shadow, no matter how often Ardyn shaved. The kind of stubble Noctis loved to rub his face against during sex. A wild head of hair. The most interesting, mesmerizing shade of crimson in Eos without a doubt.

And his eyes. Predatory at times. Wide and expressive. Golden in some lights, hazel brown in others. Practically tawny. Noctis lost himself to those eyes. He could stare into them for days, trying to read everything going on in his soulmate’s mind. He adored those fucking eyes. They followed him in his mind’s eye everywhere he went, haunted his dreams, lingered in every single one of his fantasies. And thank god, because Noctis would never tire of seeing them.

Noctis didn’t care about the Scourge. The way he saw it, that was a temporary thing. Something they would work through together. And he didn’t care that Ardyn had so many years on him. For one, Noctis had always been secretly attracted to older men (not necessarily ancient, but Ardyn looked like he was in his late forties at the oldest). And also, what did age matter to soulmates? They were fucking destined to be together.

Suffice to say, Ardyn was the most beautiful thing in Noctis’s life. Of course. He was his **one.**

But lately, as the stomachaches worsened, Noctis found himself transfixed by the sight of his lover. They could be in a meeting, sitting and discussing the Niflheim situation with all the other councillors, and suddenly Noctis’s vision would zoom in on Ardyn. He would see his lover and suddenly not be able to look at anything else. Focusing in on the way Ardyn’s lips moved when he talked, his sultry, confident baritone voice…the more he stared, the rest of the world began to fall away until Noctis’s mind was consumed with thoughts of Ardyn. 

Until someone called his attention to something else, and Noctis would have to tear his eyes away. Ardyn sometimes noticed, looking back at him with a vague frown. 

What was going on? Getting easily aroused was one thing, Noctis had gotten to used to that over the years as he dealt with his ruts. This was something else.

Catching a whiff of his omega’s sweet smell—even in passing, a smell that lingered on the tips of Ardyn’s hair as he walked by, brushing Noctis’s sensitive nose without even realizing—could make Noctis hard at the most inconvenient times. In front of other people (in front of his dad a few times, a level of embarrassment Noctis would never truly wash away, he was sure). Just a hint of Ardyn’s scent and Noctis’s mouth began to water, his cock rumbling to life in his pants, throbbing around the middle as that unruly organ remembered how delicious it felt to knot the older man.

Noctis shook his head hard to clear it, forcing his erection down. Relax. Not _now_. Take it easy. 

He could only hope that other people hadn’t caught on to Noctis’s little problem. The prince was trying to show everyone that he had this—he could take care of his omega and keep his nature under control. He could lead his kingdom and live up to everyone’s expectations for a mated liege. He would show his father that he knew what he was doing—even though Noctis was basically making this up as he went. 

Being mated was exhilarating, wonderful, and…difficult, sometimes. Noctis needed to constantly be aware of what Ardyn was feeling. And sometimes it was difficult to know how the older man would react to a certain situation. It was taking Ardyn a long time to adjust to life in the Citadel. He still needed a lot of time by himself. Even when he was with Noctis, the prince needed to be on his guard not to step on the omega’s toes. He wanted to show Ardyn that even though he was his alpha, he had no intention of controlling the older man’s life. He wanted Ardyn to be his own person.

And he wanted Ardyn to love him for who he was. To love him not just because Noctis was his mate, but because he liked the person Noctis was. Or at least, the person he could be. 

He hoped to the Six that he wasn’t letting Ardyn down. And that if he made any mistakes—which he probably was, inviting the older man into his pack had felt like a touch too far—he hoped that they could fix them together. 

…He decided not to tell Ardyn about his upcoming rut. He didn't want the older man to feel obligated to do something about it just because they were mated now. Noctis had seen himself through all his ruts in the past and he had no problems doing it again now. The last thing he wanted was to freak Ardyn out with yet another omega responsibility (as if the birth control thing hadn’t rattled him enough). 

Besides, Noctis had never spent his ruts with another person before. He had no way of gauging how difficult they were to handle. He didn’t know if he could necessarily be trusted not to lose control…especially with how fucking attractive Ardyn was. How intoxicating and sexy and awesome and—

Yeah, so. The best option was to try and keep his rut on the down low. Ride it out alone. He would be doing Ardyn a favor. This was probably something they needed to work up to.

Just his fucking luck that he would get a surprise rut two weeks into his mated life. Great.

The pangs in his stomach were closer together now. This was going to miserable as hell, wasn’t it?

_____________________________________________

It happened a few days later. Regis had called another meeting of the council and so the Lucian elders were in attendance, as were Noctis and Ardyn of course. Gladiolus and Ignis were there as well. 

Clarus was giving a long speech about how they would prepare for the Niflheim invasion. The wall would be fortified with a smoke shield and everyone in the Crownsguard would be assigned individual posts throughout the city. 

On and on and on.

Noctis was sitting in his usual seat between Ardyn and Ignis. His stomach had been hurting him nonstop since the day before. By now, there was a constant dull ache in his abdomen and a persistent buzzing tension in the veins around his neck. Every little thing was bothering him today.

Clarus just didn’t know when to shut up, did he? Pretty sure everyone got the plan. Wasn’t that hard to get. Why did some of the councillors have such a glazed look on their faces? Did they seriously not get what Clarus was talking about here? 

Also, why was it so damn hot in here? The throne room wasn’t usually this hot, was it? Who’s bright idea had it been to turn the heat up? Noctis was sweating his ass off underneath his royal raiment…wetness pooling on his chest and stomach, underneath his armpits. This outfit was going to be fucking destroyed by the end of this thing. 

Damn it all. Noctis shifted uncomfortably in his seat for the millionth time. 

Ardyn had been surreptitiously shaking his head for most of Clarus’s speech. Noctis sucked in breath between his teeth. Clearly Ardyn had an opinion about all this—his lover had _many_ opinions. Might as well just say what was on his mind and get it over with.

“Everything alright, Noct?” Ignis whispered, leaning over in his chair and putting a gentle hand on the prince’s shoulder.

Noctis swatted away his advisor’s hand. “I’m fine.” 

Titan’s balls, why did Ignis always have to hover around him all the damn time? Noctis wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of one hand, cursing quietly.

Finally, Ardyn lost his patience. He rose to his feet, interrupting Clarus with, “I’m sorry, I hate to barge in like this my Lord, but…a smoke screen? Can I ask, what do you think that will accomplish?” 

Clarus’s eyes darkened. He stared stiffly over at the omega. “The smoke screen is designed to decrease visibility. Incoming Niflheim troops will having difficulty accurately pinpointing our soldiers and we can buy some time from the start—”

“Yes, I’m aware what smoke screens are meant to do, my good man.” Ardyn shrugged his shoulders as if he could not believe the nature of this conversation. “But it’s imperative that you understand this: You’re not facing an army of Niflheim soldiers. You’re facing a horde of daemons and Magiteck specifically engineered for Insomnia’s destruction.” 

That sounded bad. Noctis bounced his leg a few times, trying to focus on Ardyn’s words. He needed to pay attention, damn it, this shit was serious…

…But he was just too hot! He unbuttoned the top of his shirt and shook it out a little, coaxing a flow of air inside. He just needed to cool off a little. He was starting to get dizzy.

“Then what does the Prince Consort suggest we do?” Clarus grumbled. 

“I’ll refer you back to my suggestion from yesterday.” Ardyn swept over to the dais, where a rolled up blueprint laid. The older man had spent many hours the previous day outlining a rather detailed defensive strategy. He unrolled the scroll and pointed to several key sections.

Noctis's vision darkened. He was seeing things. Red. The harsh burgundy of his lover’s color. The haze lingered on the edge of his sight, blurring out everyone else until all Noctis could see was Ardyn. 

His lover was an expert at drawing attention to himself. He spoke with the majesty of a king, and the lilt of a practiced entertainer. His finger danced across the blueprint as he showcased his most clever points again and again. 

Ardyn was so damn smart…a flicker of affection tickled Noctis’s chest. And the immortal sounded so capable when he knew what he was talking about.

Noctis closed his eyes. He focused on Ardyn’s voice and lost himself to its undulating tone. The prince thought he could almost feel Ardyn’s voice like a hand gliding across the hot skin on his face and arms. Cooling him down. The only thing that grounded Noctis to reality in this moment was the enchanting sound of his lover’s speech.

Oh. Wait. 

Noctis cracked his eyes open again. All of his blood was quickly rushing south. He felt a boiling swell of lust and need in the pit of his stomach. The pain from the past few days finally burst into a rush of lovely desire. For a few moments, the feeling was nice. Noctis moaned lowly as the unstoppable arousal overtook him.

But the sensation quickly turned…too intense. Unmanageable. His internal temperature reached a fever pitch and all of a sudden Noctis felt itchy. Some kind of alarm was ringing in his ears, demanding that he get up. A pulsing, burning bundle of nerves driving him into action.

He needed to. He _had_ to. 

Move. Mate. **_One._**

Oh, shit. 

Noctis realized he probably should have declined this invitation. Stayed in his room. This was his rut, hitting him full force in the middle of the council meeting. But he hadn’t wanted to draw any more attention to himself. He thought it would be fine if he could just get through this last obligation…

Too late. Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck. Noctis was already pitching a tent in his raiment dress pants. His hands were shaking and he could not stop sucking in breath (his body’s futile attempt to cool itself down). 

“I think you’ll find that our only option is to focus our attacks on the generals. Let me handle the daemons. I can lead them into the east as a distraction while you handle the human forces…” 

Ardyn droned as he walked up and down the dais. He passed Noctis’s seat. Just like that, a trace of his omega scent wafted over to the prince. 

One inhale and he was done. Something broke inside Noctis. All of his control, everything he had been trying to do. It all blew up in the face of that unholy, pastry-smelling aura. 

Several things happened all at once.

Noctis leapt to his feet and lunged at Ardyn with a guttural growl. His teeth were bared, hands clawing the air in between them. 

Truly alarmed, Ardyn scrambled backward as quickly as he could. Trying to get out of Noctis’s reach. It was an automatic reaction. He had never seen Noctis like this—those weren’t exactly human sounds coming from his lover, either. Eyes wide in concern, Ardyn put some distance in between them. Fast.

Luckily, Gladiolus and Ignis stepped right into action. The Shield and the advisor wrapped their arms around Noctis’s chest, blocking him from advancing on the surprised omega. 

“Noct, easy…” Gladiolus murmured into his charge’s ear. He pushed out a calming aura.

“Calm down,” Ignis said evenly. “That’s Ardyn in front of you. It’s just us, all of us…” 

Because of that, Ardyn successfully evaded Noctis’s clutches. He watched, stunned, as Noctis thrashed against his friends’ hold. Hissing and growling. Eyes so dilated they were actually black. Supremely focused on Ardyn and nothing else.

Assessing the situation, Regis nodded at Clarus and rose to his feet. The king’s Shield apologized to the council and ushered them out of the throne room, promising they would continue the meeting in the sitting room. With that taken care of, Regis put a steadying hand on Ardyn’s shoulder.

The omega flinched, glaring at Regis before he realized who was touching him. Clearly Ardyn had turned jittery because of all the pheromones flying around.

Noctis sensed Gladiolus’s calming essence. But to his rut-addled mind, it felt like a challenge from another alpha. Was Gladiolus trying to threaten his claim on Ardyn? How dare that unmated cub shield—

Incensed, Noctis roared and shoved Gladiolus’s shoulders. He broke the hold both men had on him, proceeding to round on Gladiolus like he wanted to fight right there. 

“Noctis.”

A word from the king, imbued with his inimitable presence. A numbing aura that stopped all the motion throughout the room in a swift gust. 

Everyone went still. 

Some semblance of thought returned to Noctis as his feisty alpha instincts were silenced. He blinked hard, shaking his head from side to side. Slowly, other senses returned to him little by little. There was his father. Ignis and Gladiolus. Ardyn, his love, behind them. Noctis could feel his **one’s** emotions—scared. Jumpy. Barely even recognizing who Noctis was in that moment.

“Nnh…” Noctis held his head in his hands and sank down into a crouching position on the floor. He pressed his aching stomach with both elbows. 

This was all so fucked up. He’d made a mess of everything now. Seriously, he just practically attacked Ardyn in front of the whole council—the exact opposite of anything he’d ever planned on doing! What could be worse than turning into a rut-crazed alpha, slobbering over his omega like a daemon wolf or something…

Damn it. Noctis fought back tears of frustration. The last thing he wanted to do was cry right now, but his body was so edgy. Uncomfortable as anything. His skin was too sensitive and the silk of his raiment scratched him all over. On top of that, he was still rock hard between his legs. The promise of an unbidden knot throbbed painfully right in the center of his tortured cock.

Regis knelt down next to his son. “Noct,” he began in a soft voice. “You’re in full rut right now. What happened? Were you expecting this?”

“No!” Noctis cried, tears flying from the corners of his eyes as he lashed out at his father. “I mean…I felt it coming, but…it doesn’t make sense. Should have had another few weeks at least…don’t know why…ugh, Gods, it’s…hot…” 

The king took a deep breath and nodded. He blinked slowly, putting a hand on Noctis’s shoulder. His large palm and familial scent eased the frayed edges of Noctis’s nerves for a moment. 

“It’s alright, son,” Regis explained. “This is normal. When you’re mated, your ruts come a little faster. Especially because your bond is so new. You should have been expecting to start your cycle around the first week after you mated Ardyn, but in your case, I guess you lasted two.” 

Fighting the blurriness in his vision, Noctis frowned. “…Really? I…didn’t know that…”

Wow. What a fucking idiot. Noctis felt like slapping himself in the face, or else crawling into a hole somewhere and never coming out. He must look like the most ignorant alpha in the world. Not even knowing that his rut cycle changed when he bonded with his **one.**

Gripping the edge of his chair, Noctis hoisted himself up into a standing position. His stomach throbbed in pain, bordering on that itchy neediness, and he had to hunch over just to stay on his feet. 

He glanced around at everyone else. “Sorry, guys…” His gaze landed on Ardyn. Those golden eyes he loved so much were still so startled. Noctis’s heart sank when he saw that, drowning in a mixture of shame and regret. “…I’m so sorry…” 

Better get out of here fast. 

Noctis turned his back on the group and said, “I’ll just go…take care of this myself…you can get back to the meeting—”

Regis gripped his son’s elbow, gently turning the young man around to face him. “No, Noct.” The king shook his head seriously. “This rut is going to be more intense than your other ones. It gets a little…harder to handle once you’ve bonded. You need to be with your **one.** ” 

Hearing that, Noctis looked skittishly over at Ardyn.

A delicate feeling passed through the invisible cord of their bond. In a heartbeat, they both realized they were feeling the same thing.

Neither of them quite knew what was going on. They were not confident in their abilities to appropriately deal with any of this. In Noctis’s case, he was out of his mind with hormones. And well, Ardyn knew how that felt. 

The omega’s eyes slowly solidified into an expression of understanding. Ardyn saw his **one** standing in front of him. Hurting. Needing him. He could sense his lover’s distress in the tension in the air, smell it on them both, feel it in their connection. 

Ardyn knew what he had to do. 

Without being asked, he walked over to Noctis in a few long strides. He needed to be with his soulmate. He would console the younger man, make love to him, stay by his side through the duration of this rut. If Noctis got violent, then so be it. Ardyn would have to handle that. He knew that Noctis would never willingly hurt him anyway. So he felt reasonably safe. After all, he had seen a handful of alphas in rut before. By chance. Just…never one so intensely focused on Ardyn himself. It was a hell of a feeling. 

Ignis murmured as the omega passed, “Don’t be afraid to use your essence to…calm him. He knows your scent. If you use it on him, I’m certain he’ll acquiesce.” 

Gladiolus nodded in agreement, locking eyes with Ardyn. “That’s right. You’re in control here.” 

The thought struck the immortal in such a way. 

…He was in control, wasn’t he?

Grinning lopsidedly, Ardyn patted Gladiolus on the shoulder. Small thanks for earlier. 

Regis held Noctis by the chin for a moment to force eye contact. “Slowly. Gently.” The king’s eyes were deathly serious. A warning about how Noctis needed to treat his omega. "Careful, Noct. Remember who you are.” 

The young alpha nodded in response, but he could not keep his eyes away from Ardyn. Realizing he had done all he could, Regis stepped out of the way. He motioned for the rest of the group to follow him into the sitting room.

Alone at last, Noctis’s body shivered and lurched helplessly towards Ardyn. The older man caught him, wrapping his arms around Noctis. The alpha scented Ardyn as hard as he could. He growled and pawed at the scarf around Ardyn’s neck, trying to get to his lover’s scent gland. He wanted to smell it so badly…

Ardyn stroked the side of Noctis’s face. He realized that he was actually a bit taller than the alpha. That made sense, he supposed. Apparently he had just never noticed. 

He gripped Noctis’s hands before the younger man could unravel his scarf. No need to be indecent…or at least, any more indecent than they already were. That aside, Ardyn wanted privacy for this. Above all else.

The older man kissed Noctis’s cheek, scenting him in the process. Holy…shit, that was a dark smell. Raw and explosive. Noctis at his most potent. It unlocked a world of excitement inside Ardyn.

“To the nest, then?” he suggested. By now, they were both feeding off each other’s smells. Looping into hopelessly aroused territory.

Noctis nodded wordlessly. He padded behind Ardyn as his mate led the way to their room. Like a puppy following its owner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right so. Next chapter is the smut. Because I'm not trying to kill anybody with long ass chapters here. (Any more than I already do lol.)


	3. Remedies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis and Ardyn figure out what they really need.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags tags tags. All the tags in the world!
> 
> Enjoy guys :)

**Chapter Three: Remedies**

As soon as they entered their nest, Noctis jumped Ardyn. He had been fighting so hard to hold back, but with the door finally closed behind him…he just couldn't anymore.

Mate. _His_ mate. _His_ ** _one._** The man who bore his scent, his mark…his everything.

Giving in to the searing drive to take what was his, Noctis grabbed Ardyn from behind. He ripped all the clothes off his omega with a series of harsh grunts.

Ardyn could not say he was surprised anymore. The tension rolling off Noctis was electric. His love had been dying to do this. In the end, they were both at that point. It was time. They needed to stop prolonging the inevitable.

Instead of fighting it, Ardyn allowed Noctis to divest him of his coat, scarf, pants, and shirt. Meanwhile he got to work undressing the alpha. It was a bit difficult because Noctis kept fighting his hands to get more access to Ardyn’s own body (in fairness, Ardyn needed to cheat and use some dark magic to help the process along). 

Once they were both down to their boxers, Noctis paused for a moment to take in the full sight of his glorious omega. Oh, that body. He wanted, he wanted, he wanted…he _needed_ …

Noctis pounced on Ardyn with full force. Unable to balance the weight, they toppled down onto their bed/love nest. It successfully knocked the wind out of Ardyn for a moment. Noctis took full advantage, slobbering kisses up and down the omega’s body nonstop. He licked and sucked bits of flesh wherever he could. 

When he got to Ardyn’s nipples, he practically lost his mind. He _loved_ these small, brown nubs on his older lover’s body. They were so supremely sensitive when Ardyn was in heat. Noctis had tucked away the idea that he could make his omega come just from having his nipples sucked. Next time when they were holed up together for Ardyn’s cycle, the prince was definitely going to try it. But right now, as far gone in lust as he was, Noctis forgot about wanting to wait. So he slotted his teeth over Ardyn’s left nipple and sucked for all he was worth. 

“Oh…!” Ardyn cried. He was completely defenseless against a move like that. Those teeth, that mouth, and that tongue…right _there_ …he could not help the way he swooned against the bed, back arching into Noctis’s touch.

The prince chuckled, flicking the abused nub with his tongue.

Pinpricks of pleasure and slight pain assaulted Ardyn. He felt slick gathering around his entrance, sliding against his skin and leaking out onto the bed. His smallish cock was as hard as it could get. Each one of his nerves set aflame by Noctis’s unyielding mouth on his unfairly sensitive nipples.

“Wait, Noct…” Ardyn called, pushing against Noctis’s head. Too much, too soon. They were already a mess of limbs heaving against each other on the bed. Ardyn could barely keep up with the suddenness of all this…he need more time, damn it!

Plus, if Noctis wasn’t careful, Ardyn might actually come like this! And then all hope of controlling the situation would be over. He just needed to get that mouth off him…

…Oh, Astrals strike him. That tongue was going to drive him insane…

“Stop,” Ardyn insisted. His balls were already starting to clench, ready to unload because of the way his nipple twisted between Noctis’s sharp teeth. 

But Noctis wasn’t moving. The prince slobbered all over Ardyn's chest, panting like a dog, eyes open but unseeing. 

Ardyn clicked his tongue in disapproval. “Noct, stop this…enough…” He tightened his body against a painfully fast orgasm rising to the surface. Noctis wouldn’t budge. 

Damn this wayward prince. Ardyn wasn’t getting through. He needed to try something else. 

He tugged at the connection between them, the place near their cores where they could always sense their soul bond. Noctis huffed, but didn’t move. Panicked, Ardyn reached for anything inside him. A soft spot, sweet and overflowing, came right to him. It was just there, immediately in his grasp as soon as he looked for it.

“I said _enough._ ” Ardyn pushed out his omega essence—startling his love with a scent of displeasure and annoyance. 

Right on cue, Noctis went completely still. He whimpered, Ardyn’s nipple popping out of his mouth, and collapsed on his side. As if the prince had been struck by a spell of some kind. Ardyn used the opportunity to roll away. Create some safe distance between them. (They were like waves, crashing together and then receding.)

Ardyn sniffed the room as he watched his frozen lover curiously. He smelled only himself in the air, hovering over the alpha's domineering aura.

…Oh. So that’s how it was done. Controlling one’s scent. 

Fascinating.

A bit of blue returned to Noctis’s eyes. “Agh…” he moaned. “Sorry, Ardyn…I didn’t mean to go too far but…ah, fuck, it hurts…” 

Then, unable to stop himself, the prince began rubbing his unbearably hard erection through the fabric of his boxers. That contact alone made the prince’s jaw go slack. Between his fingers, Ardyn spotted a dampening wet patch right where the tip of his erection should be. Even through clothes, Noctis was losing himself to the pleasure of his own hands.

Inside the prince’s mind, there were very few thoughts. He only knew that the itchiness went away if he touched himself like this. He needed more…please, more…anything…this would be enough, if he could twist his hips just right…

Ardyn sighed. He watched Noctis writhe around on the bed—palming his crotch like his life depended on it. A bemused expression crossed the older man’s face, as though he were watching something interesting on television. 

Well now. This was a nice sight. Ardyn could definitely get used to it. Part of him wanted to preserve this moment for as long as possible. Ardyn had never, ever seen Noctis so wound up. After recently recovering from his own moment of complete dynamic upheaval, Ardyn had to say it was positively _rewarding_ to see his **one** like this. Driven to maddening need because of Ardyn this time around.

…Yet still another part tinged with sadness seeing his love so utterly miserable. 

To think. The older man had been spent so much time worrying about losing his self-possessed nature after becoming an omega. He thought he would have to live in turmoil, constantly battling the need to be knotted, saving face in front of the rest of the world. But really, how pointless.

Noctis needed him just as much. The way his hips jerked up into his hand, like a child discovering masturbation for the first time, made that clear enough. They needed each other. 

And, neediness was not weakness. It was a fact of their biology. Something they could not control, but that they could share. Just like everything else. A private matter to be remedied by each other’s affections. No one else’s business. 

“Poor alpha…” Ardyn purred, laying down next to Noctis. He ran his hand down the alpha’s chest and watched happily as the prince’s whole body arched into his touch. “So far gone already…” 

Noctis looked up at his mate. Eyes clouded over with dark desire. Debouched and desperate all at once.

Fuck, that face. Ardyn fell in love with that face for what had to be the millionth time. 

“Let me help you, my prince,” the omega offered. Noctis nodded weakly, whimpering again. Past words.

Content, Ardyn slid his face down to the younger man’s lap. He slowly tugged away the boxers covering him, revealing a garishly red hard-on. Almost purple around the middle, where the alpha’s knot was begging to come out. 

“My…” The sight of that agonized member made Ardyn realize something else: He would need to get Noctis off several times tonight. Preferably in many different ways.

Well. Good thing he knew exactly how to do that.

Deciding not to tease Noctis—who was already on the verge of a breakdown because of this rut—Arydyn dragged his tongue across the wide length of his alpha’s cock. Noctis trembled, thrusting his hips into the air. Ardyn responded kindly by wrapping his lips around the head of that purpling manhood. He bobbed his head a few times to give his lover the friction he needed.

So hot in his mouth. And that unbridled alpha scent, right up close. Ardyn could not help grunting a little as he tasted it. 

“Fuck, Ardyn, yes…!” Noctis shouted. He tried to feed his cock farther into his omega’s mouth and Ardyn allowed it. 

The older man could feel his lover’s knot forming. So he focused his tongue in that area, lapping around the engorged area, nibbling just so around the girth where the knot was thickest. 

“Mmm…gonna…!” Noctis was trying to give him some warning.

Ardyn was ready for it. He licked that knot worshipfully—the very organ that had satisfied him so thoroughly just a few days ago—and let it happen. Noctis came in his mouth with rough cry. There was quite a lot of cum to deal with, more than Ardyn was used to swallowing, but he did his best. He even prompted the tip of his lover’s spasming cock down his throat, gulping down each wave of harsh alpha seed that Noctis spilled into him.

It took a few minutes for the spasms to stop. By then, Ardyn needed to pull away because he actually had to breathe. Panting, he sat up and regarded his cum-dazed lover with amused eyes.

_Delicious. Virile. Thick. Can put a baby in us…more. More of that…wring him dry…_

Ah, there were the daemons. And they sounded positively enamored with the idea of Noctis coming inside them (well, him. Easy to get the pronouns confused there). But no matter what they thought, Ardyn had been diligent with his birth control.

Ardyn frowned as he listened to their lascivious babbling. Was he imagining things, or were the daemons speaking to him less and less these days? Sometimes he would go for hours without hearing any kind of feedback from the daemonic peanut gallery. Hmm, strange.

Noctis caught his lover’s eye and grinned wolfishly. “Mmm, thanks. I love that sweet little omega mouth of yours….”

What a crude thing to say. Especially for Noctis. In truth, the prince heard the words out of his mouth and almost did not even recognize his own voice. It was low and harsh. Dripping with pheromones. 

Licking his lips, (those words had an effect, to be sure), Ardyn bent down and kissed Noctis on the mouth. He slipped the alpha a taste of his own release, which somehow made Noctis even hungrier. The younger man rumbled, trapping Ardyn in a vice-like hug and kissing him back fervently.

“Noct…” Ardyn began, pulling away for a moment to look into Noctis’s eyes. They seemed a tiny bit more reasonable now that he had already come once. “…if you knew you were approaching a rut, why didn’t you tell me?”

“Umm…” Noctis eyes flicked away self-consciously. He didn’t even really remember why anymore. Engulfed by his **one's** sweet calming scent, Noctis realized what an idiot he had been for thinking he could ride this out on his own. “…I just…didn’t want to bother you, I guess.”

“Bother me?” Ardyn repeated, rearing his head back in surprise. What exactly did this young man think of him? To believe that such a precious thing as this rut would be a bother?

“Yeah…” Noctis buried his fingers in Ardyn’s hair and pressed their foreheads together. They sniffed each other delicately. “I mean…you know. I get that you’ve been going through a lot with all this. It’s not like you asked to become an omega after so long. You’ve been dealing with everything and it’s so much…” Noctis shook his head, rubbing their skin together. “I just didn’t want to add another thing to the list of stuff you’re getting used to.”

The older man paused, taken aback. Noctis knew about the list…? (Well they were semi-telepathic at this point, so.) 

Why did it make Ardyn feel somewhat ashamed to know that Noctis was aware of everything he disliked about this new life? 

He hoped that his prince knew: Of all the things that were difficult, Noctis himself had never been on that list. 

“Oh, Noct.” Ardyn sat up. “Don’t talk like that. You know me. Really now, you know me better than anyone. You must know that I would never turn down an opportunity to make wild, senseless, hell-raising love with you.” 

Caught unaware by a sudden dose of humor, Noctis threw his head back and laughed. Ardyn chuckled alongside him, rubbing his alpha’s thighs and surveying that still-hard knot. 

Some of the uncertainty between them slipped away. A relaxed, mutual feeling of contentment settled over the room. Ardyn was right. They knew each other. With each passing day, their bond grew more solid. Less tenuous. They had already survived an omega’s first blistering heat together. Beyond that—seeing each other in such a state—there really wasn’t much else left to see. 

Which meant, of course, that Ardyn wanted to see it all. Everything. He felt maddeningly possessive all of a sudden. Perhaps it was the idea that Noctis had tried to go through this on his own. Or maybe it was the growing feeling of complete connection—if they were going to be bonded for life, Ardyn would not abide any secrets. Of any kind. Noctis already knew all of Ardyn’s (or, most). 

“But, I’m curious, Noct…” Ardyn glanced around the room. He knew this room so well, but perhaps it still held…secrets from him. Interesting. “…how were you planning on dealing with this by yourself?”

Noctis propped himself up onto his elbows. He was feeling a little more focused now, and he could tell that Ardyn had fallen into one of his playful moods. Honestly, he found playful Ardyn to be very, very sexy. He could already feel his skin prickling in excitement. A certain twinge in his deflating knot and in his untouched nipples.

“You know, just…same way as always,” he answered, tilting his head to the side. Where was Ardyn going with this?

Ardyn’s eyes flashed. “And what way is that?”

The prince managed a half-smile. At this point, he wasn’t feeling too embarrassed about telling Ardyn. Even though, he had never talked about this with anyone else. People did not like to discuss an alpha’s rut; especially betas, but even other alphas. It was a time of vulnerability. Unmated alphas did not want to divulge to their friends how they managed to get through such a time.

Basically masturbating their brains out. That was the only way to go about it. And who wanted to admit that they needed to spend days locked away in their room fucking themselves silly? Kind of embarrassing. Just a little.

But Ardyn was his **one.** They shared pieces of the same soul. So…yeah. Besides, Ardyn wanted to know.

Noctis cupped his hand and flapped in front of himself a few times. Mimicking the motion. “Jerking off, usually…” he admitted. Only a light pink dusting his cheeks. 

The daemons smacked their lips inside Ardyn. Hungry for more. There had to be more!

“And…?” Ardyn’s eyes relentlessly travelled over Noctis’s body. As if the truth would be hidden there, somehow. 

The alpha sighed. “And.” He glanced over at his nightstand. 

He knew exactly where it was. His…personal aid. The thing that Noctis (and a good deal other alphas) would have gone mad without. So, making brief eye contact with his **one,** Noctis pointed silently towards the middle drawer.

Ardyn followed the gesture. Hmm, in there? Wiggling his fingers excitedly, he slid the drawer open and shuffled around through the contents.

Ah. Indeed. _This_ is the thing Ardyn had been waiting to see.

A long, clear tube lay nestled in a black box. One glance told the omega everything he needed to know. This was a cock sleeve, about half a foot long. Made of squishy, stretchy rubber with an open hole on both ends. Right around the middle of the sleeve, the rubber was a little looser to account for the knot that would grow when an alpha used it. Furthermore, the entire inside of the sleeve was lined with little bumps. Tiny protrusions, designed for extra stimulation.

“Mmm…I see,” Ardyn commented. He picked up the sleeve and examined it from all angles. It was quite elastic, stretched nicely in his hands. The rubber material was erotic to the feel. Especially when Ardyn stuck his finger inside and felt the bumps along the interior. 

Noctis swallowed. It was…a lot, watching Ardyn play with his toy like that. That little piece of rubber had gotten Noctis through years of unmated ruts. He privately cherished it. Almost like a friend…or even a lover, as much as cock sleeve could be a lover, anyway…

Also, it was really hot to watch his omega explore the thing. Figuring out all the uses. 

“Ah.” Ardyn inverted the rubber with a few loose tugs. “It turns inside out?”

“Uh, yeah…never used it like that though.” Noctis gulped. Just the sight of those little bumps in the material made him painfully hard again. Saliva pooling in his mouth. He knew that sleeve could make him feel so good.

Admittedly, Ardyn had come across various sex aids for lonely alphas and omegas. Fleshlights, cock sleeves. Strap ons with an inflatable core to mimic a knot, for some cock-starved omega. But this toy was special. This was _Noct’s_ toy. A sleeve that had certainly pumped many releases from Ardyn’s **one** in its day.

The older man closed his eyes to imagine that. His burgeoning alpha pumping himself hard, hand flying up and down his sleeve-covered member…whimpering as he made himself come for the umpteenth time. Lost to sensation.

…Oh dear. Yes. Ardyn needed to see that!

“Show me,” the omega commanded, handing the sleeve to his mate. “I want to see how my alpha pleasures himself.” 

Noctis squeezed the rubber toy automatically. He wanted to just immediately comply—he knew how amazing this thing felt on his dick—but then…he could smell the slick lubing his **one’s** hidden entrance. He wanted that more than anything. That sweet, heavenly, perfect little hole, molded to his own shape…

“But Ardyn…” Noctis whined, scrambling to his knees. “You have something so much better for me, don’t you…?”

Ardyn brushed some fly-away crimson hairs out of his eyes. “Naturally. And you’ll get a taste of that, too, I promise. But first I want to watch you. I want to know what you’ve been doing to satisfy yourself all these years…” 

Noctis felt Ardyn’s unyielding gaze land on him. Mixed with a puff of the omega’s essence: Curiosity, excitement, and no small amount of stubbornness. No way the older man was going to let this go.

Sighing in defeat, Noctis turned his attention to the cock sleeve. Well, at least this would feel good…his needy dick was already back to full attention. The itchiness in his veins demanded some type of pleasure. Now—as soon as fucking possible!

“Hand me the lube,” the prince asked. He warmed the toy between both hands. Getting it ready.

Ardyn found some water-based lubricant, fascinated by the unobtrusive smell of the bottle. Normally these things came with such an insufferably sweet scent, aping that of an omega’s pheromones. Ardyn did not care for it. At least, Noctis had chosen something bland and hormone-less. More tasteful.

The alpha pumped a few squirts of lube into the cock sleeve. He squished the rubber between his fingers to spread out the slick evenly inside. Then, biting his lips in anticipation, he lined one of the holes up with the tip of his cock. Once this sleeve went on, Noctis knew he would not be able to hold himself back.

He glanced up at Ardyn one more time. Locking eyes before he slid the toy over his yearning cock with a slow, wet squelch. 

“Mmm…!” Right away, Noctis saw stars. Fuck, this thing…it knew exactly what he needed during a rut! The loose middle fit so nicely over his teeming knot.

Ardyn’s sight was glued to the scene. Noctis, mouth dangling open, dragging a lubed-up sleeve over his desperate knot. Gently at first, then faster and faster…

_Delicious._

He had no way of knowing if that was a daemon’s voice or his own perverted conscious loving every second of this.

“Mmm…mmm…ah, fuck….” Noctis felt his toes curling right where he knelt. The tip of his dick peeked out the opposite end of the sleeve, catching on the myriad of ticklers towards the exit.

So many little bumps teasing his angry head…Noctis fell forward. The bed broke his fall. He kept himself propped up using only his elbows. Both hands were busy stroking himself, squeezing the sleeve just so. The wet protrusions created a kind of suction, pulling at the sensitive skin on Noctis’s length.

“Oh, Ardyn…! Damn it, I can’t…!” Noctis lost himself. He rutted into the sleeve and into his cupped hands, dragging each sensation out as long as he could. 

Transfixed, the omega got down on his hands and knees. He stared at Noctis with eyes as wide as saucers. Such an impossibly beautiful creature, his **one** , giving himself up to the throes of pleasure.

But it was unfair. This whole idea started as a way for Ardyn to assert control over his alpha’s pleasure. He didn’t want any kind of wall between what they wanted and what they could do for themselves. And here was Noctis—enjoying the sleeve way more than Ardyn thought he would!

This had not gone according to plan. 

Jealousy trickled through Ardyn’s veins. Blackening his blood and turning him bitter as hell. That pathetic little toy! How could it possibly feel so good! 

Despicable. Ardyn wanted to rip the rubber to shreds. To prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that his own hole could put any toy to shame—that Noctis could not ever substitute anything for the pleasure he got from his **one.**

Growling deep in his throat, Ardyn pushed Noctis’s hands away from himself. The alpha cried out brokenly, fighting to keep stroking. He was so damn close! He just needed…!

“Enough of this,” snarled Ardyn. He yanked the sleeve off his alpha’s cock and threw it indiscriminately to the side. It landed somewhere in the distance with a muted thud.

Paying that no mind, Ardyn forced his needy omega scent on Noctis. The alpha reeled as he smelled such a heady thing…mingled with jealousy and pleasure and anger, eagerness and need. Ardyn was incomparable in that moment.

“Now, focus on this. Nothing but this.” 

Ardyn turned around on all fours. He dropped his chest to the ground. Hard. Offering his ass high in the air. As far as his older man’s body would allow, thighs stretching up to their fullest extent.

It was the first time Ardyn had ever properly presented to his alpha. The first time an omega ever presented to Noctis during a rut.

A chemically dangerous mess of pheromones assailed them both. This was the most powerful thing Ardyn had at his disposal—presenting at a time like this. As well as the one position that would make Noctis feel totally omnipotent as an alpha. A way for him to truly fulfill his purpose.

Some sound—a mixture of a purr and a demanding growl—escaped Ardyn’s throat. “Fuck me, Noct. Right now. Take me.”

Unseeing, Noctis grabbed Ardyn’s hips with both hands. Thrusting his cock into position. He was well past the point of any rational thought. He heard his father’s words in his head vaguely. Gently. Slowly. But…that was no longer doable.

He plowed his aching dick deep inside Ardyn. 

Ah, sweet blissful silence. The inside of his **one** was the best place on this earth. A better home for him than anywhere else. Noctis wanted to literally live inside this man. Build a house out of his body and reside within him, like it was normal.

“Mine…” Noctis hissed between clenched teeth. “My omega. Mine mine mine…”

He rocked his hips far too quickly and too roughly. Rutting into Ardyn with everything he had. His omega’s hole was hot—warmer than any toy. Alive. Throbbing. _Breathing_ around him.

Ardyn choked around the intense feeling of Noctis buried so far in. Ramming his thirsty sweet spot. He could hardly say he minded, but this was the harshest ride Noctis had ever given him. Practically turning the older man inside out on his dick. 

The omega’s eyes rolled back in his head. So, so much pleasure. Bursts of white behind his eyeballs. Noctis was going to fuck him right into an unbridled orgasm…

But actually the alpha came first. He had been waiting for a very, very long time to be satisfied by his **one** like this. Noctis’s climax took them both by surprise with its intensity and the way that it seemed to last for…whole minutes, even.

The force of Noctis’s release inside of him was enough to send Ardyn over the edge as well. They rode each other through waves of orgasm, far beyond the reaches of anything sane.

When it was done, Noctis’s knot sprang to life. But the alpha was not finished. He shallowly fucked Ardyn on his knot, over and over again. With each new orgasm, Ardyn felt himself falling into bliss, expecting now that he would soon get another round of Noctis’s unforgiving rut. Four, five. Six, then seven. How many times…?

It lasted hours. Time didn’t even matter anymore. There was only each other, their bodies, and the insatiable need inside them both.

Slowly, Noctis started huffing Ardyn’s claimed scent gland. The bite still hurt from time to time, but mostly the mark just tingled now. Especially when they fucked. Every whiff of that mark brought Noctis a little closer to reality. He still needed to fuck Ardyn—they had lost count of how many times—but he was learning how to control his hips more. He could last longer. The searing hot need in his body that demanded pleasure and release had cooled somewhat.

Eventually the sex became more normal. Tamer. More of a give and take between them, as it usually was, instead of Noctis pile-driving into Ardyn for dear life. 

Soon after that, Noctis finally collapsed on top of his **one.** Ready for a real break now, with his knot successfully locking them together. 

Thoughts were still hazy inside the prince’s mind. He knew they had been at this a while. He knew that he felt good—really, really fucking good—but still sort of itchy. They weren’t done.

“Mmm…” Ardyn grumbled underneath him. “…Good alpha. Very good. You pleased your omega quite well tonight, my dear.” 

Noctis raised his head, alert suddenly, as he heard those words.

Good. He had done a good job. He was a good alpha. Ardyn was pleased with him. He wasn’t failing at this. He was doing okay…

The prince nuzzled the back of Ardyn’s neck and panted. Clearly hungry for more praise.

Through their connection, Ardyn could sense how insecure Noctis was feeling in that moment. He didn’t know how he missed that before now—because obviously these feelings had been building for some time. He wanted Noctis to know that he was not at all failing in his role. That Noctis was…everything to him. 

The piece of his life Ardyn was glad to have found. Despite all the hardships. 

“Noct…” Ardyn cooed, turning his head to the side awkwardly. The only way they could talk in such a position. “…please understand me. You’re right, I…would never have asked for this life. It’s the last thing I wanted.”

Noctis whined disappointedly.

“But…” the older man quickly followed up. “If I have to be an omega…if that’s a part of my destiny I can’t avoid, then…I am infinitely glad to have you as my mate.” 

Seriously. Noctis was the most honorable, lovable alpha Ardyn had ever encountered. In all his years. He had not known kind alphas like Noctis and Regis existed before he came here. Being bonded to the prince…Ardyn could only see it as blessing. Maybe a sign that his millennia of torture were coming to an end. If he could have something as lovely as Noctis, then…the rest of existence seemed somewhat livable.

Livable had not been a word in Ardyn’s vocabulary for quite some time.

“I’ve never regretted our bond,” Ardyn continued. He listened to his alpha’s desperate pants, felt the younger man’s breath on his neck. “And I’m sure I never will. Whatever happens from now on…this…” He exposed his neck in reference to the scarring bite mark. “…is the experience of a lifetime. And my lifetime has been considerably longer than most.” 

Noctis hummed deeply in approval. He licked the mark and crooned. They shared a shiver, through their bond and through their physically connected bodies. 

“Good.” Noctis kissed the back of Ardyn’s head. “And, just so you know, even if you say it like that—like this is about to end or something—I’m not going to stop until we find a way to cure the Scourge. Not gonna happen. You’re going to have to stick around for a while, Ardyn, see what we can do to heal you…because I’m not letting you go.” 

The immortal closed his eyes. He felt so human there in his lover’s arms. “I know,” he said. 

It was the truth.

Now that some time had passed, Noctis’s arousal stirred back to life. He shook his hips a little, indicating that he was ready to go again.

“Mmm…” Ardyn’s tired body was beginning to ache. “If you’re going to fuck me again, do it slowly this time. …Yes, there….just like that…”

_____________________________________________

Noctis’s rut lasted only three more days. In general, ruts were much shorter than heats. Ardyn hardly thought that was fair. 

Especially considering how much fun they were having. Ardyn easily would have signed up for a few more days of this.

But, it was probably better to end it early. His body needed a break. 

When all was said and done, Noctis and Ardyn slipped back into the Citadel like a pair of thieves. All of the councillors knew what they had been up to. As did Regis, and Gladiolus and Ignis. Clarus too. Not exactly a great showing for the young prince.

“I can't believe I went into rut in front of the whole council…” Noctis murmured, on the last day of their brief sequestered period. “That’s so ridiculously embarrassing.”

Ardyn shrugged his shoulders indifferently. “Well. I went into heat in front of the Lucian royal council and the Niflheim foreign ministry. Combined. So, there’s that.” 

Noctis smiled at his mate lovingly. “Heh. Yeah you did.” He thought for a moment. “I guess we're the resident hot mess couple around here.” 

“Hmm…” Ardyn considered that. “The hot mess princes. Seems to fit.” 

If that was the worst they could get, Noctis figured they were in an okay place. Ardyn personally did not care either way. (For him, hot mess was a gentle term.)

All in all, they were alright. Whether they needed to last through a heat or a rut, they would be fine. Time had proven that. Any other obstacles might be inbound, but they did not seem quite so daunting anymore. After what the two men had already been through. 

…Except for the matter of the cock sleeve. Ardyn could not decide whether he wanted to destroy the thing with one explosive fire spell, or whether he wanted to turn it inside out and have Noctis fuck him while wearing it. See what those little ticklers felt like on his engorged sweet spot. 

It was a real dilemma. Ardyn needed to take his time with this one. 

Everything else? Livable.

 

 

~~ The end ~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heh, they're cute. And if you ship Ardynoct, you ship the resident hot messes ;) As we know.
> 
> So, if I continue this, I sooo want to write some actual mpreg. Think about it. Preggers Ardyn and daddy Noct? It could be great! But I get that it's a little out there, so let me know what you guys think. If you want to read that or not lol. Inquiring minds want to know.
> 
> Hope you guys liked this little sequel! If there's something else you want from this verse, I'd love to hear it :) Other than that, y'all are amazing. Love love love <3 <3 <3

**Author's Note:**

> Hit me up [on tumblr](https://jeejascoffee.tumblr.com/).  
> 


End file.
